Breathing Room
by memorysdaughter
Summary: Tori gets paired with Jade's sister for a school project. Thank goodness Jade's sister is nothing like Jade... in fact, she's very different.
1. Chapter 1

"Cat, do you think you've got enough markers?"

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"It just… looks like you've got a lot of markers," Tori said, gesturing to the five-gallon bucket in the redhead's hand.

"Oh! Thanks! They're for Ms. Santiago," Cat said proudly.

"The new art teacher? The one with the funny eye?"

"Mm-hmm," Cat said. "She was saying the other day how she didn't have any of the skinny markers that smell like stuff, so I stole a bunch from my brother."

"Won't your brother notice that they're gone?"

"No. He stopped drawing last year after his girlfriend told him it was against his religion."

Tori tilted her head, confused. "Is it against his religion?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just meant…"

Before Tori could even start to explain what she'd meant, a turquoise plastic ball flew around the corner, whacking Cat in the face. The girl dropped the five-gallon bucket of markers, which scattered across the hall floor.

"Ow!" Cat shrieked.

"I apologize, Cat," Mr. Sikowitz said, scurrying to retrieve his ball. "I was attempting to hit Goldstein."

He gestured theatrically down the hall to where Perry Goldstein was opening a bottle of Peppy Cola.

"Goldstein!" Sikowitz launched the ball again, hitting Goldstein squarely in the back. The boy dropped his Peppy Cola; it fell to the floor, exploding in a fizzy spray. "You owe me an essay from last week!"

"My eye!" Cat exclaimed, clapping a hand to her face. "Is it bleeding?"

"It doesn't… look that bad," Tori said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's… puffy," Tori offered.

"Ohhh," Cat moaned. "I have to go to the nurse!"

"What about the markers?"

"Will you take them to Ms. Santiago?" Cat asked.

"I mean, I guess I can."

"Thanks – you're the best!" Cat rounded the corner and disappeared, her hand still pressed to her face.

Tori sighed and bent down to gather the seemingly infinite number of markers scattered across the floor. At last she had them all back in the bucket, and with a quick look around to make sure that Mr. Sikowitz wasn't waiting for her with his ball, she headed down the hallway towards the 2-D art room.

She stuck her head into the room. It was long and large, with light pouring in through two walls of windows. Paintings and sketches were propped up on easels, and famous works of art were laminated and push-pinned to the wall.

"Hello?" Tori stepped into the room and set the bucket of markers on the table. "Ms. Santiago?"

"She's not here," a voice said from the other side of the room. "She went to talk to somebody about the backdrop for the musical."

Tori turned to see a girl with shoulder-length dark hair sitting at one of the desks, sketching on a large newsprint pad. "Oh! I, um, I didn't notice you."

"That's okay." The girl set down her ink pen and turned towards Tori. She was very thin, with pale skin. Her dark hair was held back with a red polka-dotted head band. She wore a gray T-shirt with a stylized drawing of a human torso, including ribs, the heart, lungs, and major veins, rendered in black, white, red, and blue, and a pair of black yoga pants. Her shoes were bright red Converse sneakers. She looked like any number of students Tori had seen at Hollywood Arts; in fact, the only thing that would set her apart was the thin plastic oxygen tubing that ran under her nose and looped behind her ears. It ran down to a black backpack on the desk beside her.

She stood as Tori entered, and put out her hand. "I'm Evie."

"I'm Tori," Tori said, and they shook.

"So," Tori said, gesturing to the bucket, "do you think I could just leave those here?"

Evie shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"They're… not mine," Tori said. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with having a lot of markers, but… I'm just delivering them for a friend."

"Cat?" Evie asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"She was talking about them during photography today," Evie said.

"She would have brought them herself, but Mr. Sikowitz accidentally hit her in the head."

"With what?"

"A ball. But to be fair, he was aiming for Perry Goldstein."

"Aren't we all," Evie said, grinning. "That Sikowitz is a real character."

"Oh, do you have him for a class?"

"No, but my sister does," Evie said. "She talks about him all the time. Most of the time she worships that guy, but every now and then his craziness gets to her."

"Your sister? She goes here too?"

"Yeah," Evie said. "Maybe you know her."

From behind Tori came a coldly amused voice. "Trying to branch out, Vega? Maybe it's for the best. You're not really a great actor."

"Hey, Jadey," Evie said.

"Where've you been?" Jade asked as she entered the room. "Mom's waiting."

"I guess I lost track of time," Evie said. She grabbed her newsprint pad and flipped it closed. She stuck her pen into her pocket.

"Give me that," Jade said, and took the drawing pad from Evie.

"Your sister is… _Jade?"_ Tori asked, her mouth open with surprise.

"Yeah," Evie said.

"Surprised, Vega?" Jade smiled sweetly.

"Uh, _yeah_," Tori said.

"You mean because my sister's a monster?" Evie asked, grinning.

"That was my first thought."

"Well, your sister is a talentless harpy," Jade said to Tori.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tori asked, aware that she sounded like Cat.

"Nothing," Jade said with a shrug. "It's just the truth."

"You're awful," Evie said. She swung the black backpack over her shoulder. "See you later, Tori."

"Bye," Tori said.

Jade slung her arm around Evie's painfully thin shoulders, and the two girls disappeared through the art room door.


	2. Chapter 2

Breathing Room: Chapter Two

"Hey, Trina?"

"What? I'm busy!"

"Doing what?"

"Studying," Trina said, manipulating the buttons on her cell phone with agility.

"Yeah, right," Tori said. She got a glass of water and sat down at the table next to Trina. "What do you know about Evie West?"

"Who?" Trina didn't look up from her cell phone.

"Jade's sister? She goes to Hollywood Arts."

"She does?"

Tori let out a sigh. "Trina, you've been going there for three years and you practically run the place. How do you _not_ know this girl?"

"I'm flattered," Trina said, putting down her phone at last. "But the A-listers really run that place. Oh, man, if I could just get into their clique…"

"Trina, focus," Tori said. "Do you know Evie West?"

"Weird girl? Majors in visual arts? I guess I've _heard_ of her."

"What's so weird about her?"

"Have you _seen_ the way the girl dresses?" Trina's cell phone rang; she punched it on. "Hello? Betsy, what do you want? Wait – Chad Peterson? Oh, man – no, _tell _me!"

She waved her hand flippantly at Tori, and scrambled away from the table and up the stairs.

Tori rolled her eyes.

The doorbell rang, and Tori crossed the kitchen and opened the door. "Hey, Andre."

"Hey, Tori. Ready to rehearse?"

"Yep. Come on in."

Tori shut the door as Andre took out the rolled copy of his script from his back pocket. He tilted his head towards the upper level. "Do I hear the sounds of a wild Trina?"

Tori laughed. "Yeah. Something about Chad Peterson."

"I hear he made out with Natasha Byers," Andre said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, man, Trina's going to be angry," Tori said. "She's had her eye on him for like two years."

"Well, she can get in line," Andre said. "I know at least fourteen girls who would love to make out with Chad Peterson."

"What is it about him?" Tori asked, grabbing her script from the kitchen table.

"I think it's his broad shoulders," Andre said.

"That has to be it." Tori sprawled on the couch across from Andre.

"Let's get down to 'An Afternoon to Remember,'" Andre said, and opened his script.

"Wait," Tori said.

"Something else about Chad Peterson?"

"No," Tori said. "I asked Trina about this but she just blew me off. Do you know Evie West?"

"Jade's sister? Yeah, she's cool," Andre said. "She's _nothing_ like Jade, but still cool. Why?"

"You're right she's nothing like Jade. Thank God – I don't think I could take two of them."

"Yeah, Evie definitely got the mellow, happy genes, and Jade got all of the angry genes."

Tori absently flipped the pages of her script. "Evie seemed… nice."

"She is," Andre said. "She's super talented, too. Have you seen her drawings?"

"No," Tori said. "I mean, she was working on something when I was in the art room, but I didn't get a look at it."

"Lately she's been doing ink drawings of the human body," Andre said. "Mr. Chapman was talking about selling them to an anatomy textbook producer. Before he fell off that wall and got replaced by Ms. Santiago."

"Wow."

"Yeah. He _really_ should have been watching where he was going. So, ready to rehearse? I've totally got to work on scene four – I keep forgetting the end of the monologue."

"Is she… is there something wrong with her?"

"Who? Evie?"

"Yeah."

Andre sighed and rolled his script into one hand. "She has cystic fibrosis. Makes it hard for her to breathe."

"Oh," Tori said. "I… I didn't know."

"How could you have known?" Andre asked, and flashed Tori one of his easy-going smiles.

"I mean, she… seemed fine."

"Except for the oxygen," Andre said knowingly.

"Yeah."

"Well, that's pretty much the whole truth," Andre said. "She's the nicer, friendlier version of Jade, talented in visual arts, and except for sometimes being sick, totally like the rest of us."

"She seemed like she could use a friend."

"She probably could," Andre said. "What with Jade being her sister and all."

Tori rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Come on. Let's rehearse," Andre said, and flipped open his script.

Tori opened hers too, and for the moment, forgot about Evie West.


	3. Chapter 3

Breathing Room: Chapter Three

"Hey, Jadey," Evie called from her bedroom.

"Yeah?" Jade hollered back.

"Did Mom and Dad leave for the opera yet?"

"Yeah, about twenty minutes ago. What do you need?"

"I just wanted to ask you something."

"Hang on!"

In a moment Jade appeared in the doorway, holding two different tops in her hand. "Which one?"

"Blue," Evie said.

Jade pulled the blue top off the hanger and exchanged it for the black one she was wearing. "What?"

"I wanted to ask you about Tori," Evie said.

"What's to ask?"

"She's really Trina's sister?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. I mean, I saw her at the Big Showcase, but…"

"She's maybe a little talented," Jade said. "But don't tell her that."

Evie smiled. "Why not? It's not like you've ever said a nice thing to the girl."

Jade sighed. "That's not completely true. She was the one who helped me get back together with Beck."

"Oh, _her_," Evie said, nodding. "Are you going out with Beck tonight?"

"No," Jade said. "He's coming over and we're going to watch a movie."

The doorbell rang downstairs. "That's him," Jade said.

"Go get the door," Evie said with a smile. "I'll be down in a minute to say hi."

"You don't have to come downstairs."

"Yeah, but I want to." Evie grinned at Jade. "I'm not eighty. And besides, I think Mom left us brownies."

The doorbell rang again.

"Your man awaits," Evie said.

"Are you sure you can make it down the stairs?"

"_Yes_, Jadey." Evie rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me that look," Jade said, pointing at her sister. "When Mom and Dad are gone, I'm in charge, and you have to make me look good."

Evie grinned.

Jade turned and clattered down the stairs.

Evie gently slid off her bed, and scooted across the floor on her rear end, dragging her oxygen tank with her. She went down the stairs slowly, in much the same way she and Jade had on Christmas mornings past – as though they were sledding.

Beck and Jade were standing by the front door, and watched her slide. "Hey, Evie," Beck said.

"Hi, Beck," Evie said, stopping on the last stair.

"You want to watch the movie with us?" Beck asked, holding up a Blockbuster bag.

"What'd you get?" Jade asked.

"Thought we'd do a double feature," Beck said easily, taking two DVDs from the plastic bag. "'Coraline' and 'Sweeney Todd.'"

"You know me too well," Jade said, and kissed Beck on the cheek.

"There's brownies in the kitchen," Evie said.

"I'll get them," Jade said. "Put on 'Sweeney Todd.'"

"Come on, Evie-kins." Beck scooped the girl off the stairs. He swung her oxygen bag over his shoulder, and Evie threw her arms around Beck's neck.

Evie laughed her thin, breathy laugh. "My hero," she said.

Jade stood in the doorway, watching her boyfriend and her fragile sister, and it almost took her breath away. Not in anger, not in jealousy, but in sweet happiness, because her boyfriend understood how much she loved Evie. How much she cared for Evie. How much Evie needed to be loved and cared for. She'd never had to explain it to Beck – somehow he just knew.

And for that she loved him even more.


	4. Chapter 4

Breathing Room: Chapter Four

"Okay, people, places!" Sikowitz hollered, and clapped his hands. "I want everybody off book this round!"

Andre scrambled up the steps onto the classroom stage. Over his dreadlocks he wore a plaid fedora with a jaunty feather stuck in the brim. He tossed his script in the direction of his chair, but it hit Robbie in the chest.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, Robbie," Andre said.

"You gotta bulk up," Rex said from his position next to Robbie. "That was a script, not a barbell."

"Shut up," Robbie said, and sulked.

"Let's take it from the beginning of the monologue," Sikowitz said. "Have at it, Andre."

Andre squared his shoulders and looked across the stage to Cat, who sat on one of the stage steps with her legs primly crossed, looking demure and calm. He cleared his throat and began. "Would it be a lie if I said I had never known a moment's peace since I met you? No, milady, it would not. For I have not had a moment's peace, no, a _second's_ peace, since we first met that afternoon on the orchard road. You are in my thoughts and my dreams, every breath I draw and every step I take. I see your face in my… uh…"

"In the mirror," prompted Sikowitz, who held his copy of the script open.

"In the mirror, where… um…"

"Where my own face should be."

"Where my own face should be. And though I try I cannot block out your heart…"

"Eyes."

"Eyes, because they shine like…"

"Stars."

"Stars… stars in the highest firmament." Andre scowled in Cat's direction.

"What?" Cat shrieked.

"It's not you," Andre said. "I just can't seem to remember the end of this monologue."

"Is it because I'm not the girl you thought I was?"

Sikowitz made a sound like a buzzer. "Enh! Sorry, Cat, that line is in the ending monologue."

"It _is?"_ Cat grabbed her script from her chair and flipped through it. Then she looked up with a bright smile on her face. "Oh, yeah, here it is!"

"Can't Beck play the part of Captain Samson?" Andre asked, taking off his hat and throwing it towards his script.

"But Beck's playing the part of the wise and trusting priest," Sikowitz said.

"I played Captain Samson two years ago in the People's Playhouse," Beck piped up from his seat.

"I could play Captain Samson!" Robbie suggested.

"Oh, Robbie, that's a brilliant thought," Sikowitz said.

"Really?" Robbie beamed.

"But Captain Samson is supposed to be… gritty. And…"

"Muscle-y," Beck said.

"And I'm not?" Robbie looked hurt.

"You wouldn't be my first choice for either of those adjectives," Sikowitz said honestly. "Andre, let's try the end of the monologue again."

Before Andre could start again, the bell rang.

"Okay, everybody," Sikowitz said, speaking loudly to be heard over the commotion of students packing up. "Second period after lunch, I want all the principles back here for a total run-through! Andre, try to get the end of that monologue down."

Tori gathered up her bag as Andre and Cat came down from the stage. "Good try, Andre."

"Thanks," Andre said, sounding dispirited.

"What about me?" Cat asked, bobbing up in front of Tori like a bright-haired sprite.

"You… didn't speak," Tori said.

"Oh." Cat's face fell.

"But your silence was awesome."

"Yay!" Cat grabbed her bag. "Let's eat!"

Tori held the door open for Andre, Robbie, and Cat, and then followed them out into the hallway. She saw Beck standing near his locker. "Hey, Beck, have you seen Jade this morning?"

"Nope," Beck said, dialing his combination. "She went with Evie to a doctor's appointment. They should both be here after lunch."

"Oh." Tori followed Andre and Cat out onto the terrace for lunch.

Andre plopped down next to Tori and started to unwrap his sandwich. "I just can't get the monologue straight," he groused. "I keep messing up at the end."

"Well, we only have the one rehearsal this afternoon," Tori said, trying to sound upbeat. "Then tomorrow we're going to the art museum all day to see that new art-drama fusion exhibit."

"Who's pumped that Sikowitz is chaperoning?" Beck asked, grinning.

"Oh, totally," Andre said, looking up from his sandwich.

"It's going to be awesome!" Cat agreed cheerfully.

"What's so special about Sikowitz being a chaperone?" Tori asked. "Aren't most of the teachers going?"

"Well, yeah," Robbie said.

"But Sikowitz is the only one who thinks that art museums are part of a government conspiracy to program people's brain waves," Beck said.

"Tinfoil hats all around!" Andre said, raising his milk carton happily.

"Oh, no, really?" Tori asked.

"Yep!"

"But we're going to be there with four other schools. _Regular_ schools."

"Isn't that the _best?"_ Cat asked, grinning.

"It's something," Tori said.

A blue minivan pulled up in the parking lot. Beck smiled happily. "There's Jade."

Jade got out of the passenger side door, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "I _know_, Mom!" she yelled, and slammed the door.

Evie emerged slowly from the back of the van. She looked tired as she dragged her oxygen bag and a flat portfolio out with her.

Jade grabbed the portfolio and yanked it from the van. Without a backwards glance, she stalked towards the building.

"Hey, baby," Beck said, getting up from the table.

"Not now," Jade said.

Evie followed at a slower pace, giving Tori a small smile as she passed by.

"What's going on?" Beck asked Evie, grabbing her gently by the elbow.

"Jade's unhappy," Evie said.

"So what else is new?"

"It wasn't a good morning for one of us," Evie said. "And Jade takes it harder than I do."

The bell rang, startling the group out on the terrace. Tori balled up her garbage and took a last sip of juice. Andre looked at his watch and scowled. "I'm going back in to see if I can get in the right mind-set for this monologue."

"I'll go with you," Cat said.

"I should probably go see what's up with Jade," Beck said.

"She'll calm down in a bit," Evie said. "Once she gets into Sikowitz's class everything will smooth out."

Tori tossed her garbage into the can. "Are you going on the field trip tomorrow?" she asked Evie.

"Oh, yeah," Evie said, her eyes sparkling. "I'm so excited. I love the Hooper Museum. And it'll be so fun to be there with our partners!"

"Partners?" Tori asked as they proceeded into the hallway.

"Yeah," Evie said. "Hollywood Arts is going to do an art-and-drama fusion just like museum's! All of the kids in the visual arts program are getting paired up with someone in the drama program. And we're going to work on a five-minute fusion for Parents' Night."

"I didn't know about that," Tori said.

"It's going to be tons of fun," Evie said. "Hey, I've got to get down to 3-D Arts. We're doing pots on the wheels today."

"Have fun," Tori said.

The warning bell rang, and Tori darted back into Sikowitz's classroom.

"Before we begin our rehearsal anew," Sikowitz said from the stage, "I'd like to read off your partners for the field trip tomorrow. As we view the government conspiracy that is the Hooper Museum, I'd like you to use your magnificent brains to think about the ways that visual art and drama intersect. We will be performing an art-and-drama fusion for Parents' Night, along with 'An Afternoon to Remember.' Hopefully it will be a _night _to remember."

No one laughed.

"Never mind," Sikowitz said. "Now, here are your partners. Andre – Patrick Evans. Beck – Claire Lathrop. Cat – Ian Anderson. Robbie – Andrew Kerrigan. Rex…"

"The puppet gets a partner?" Andre asked.

"Don't call him a puppet!" Robbie cried, shielding Rex's ears as though from a harsh comment. "Besides, he's not going. They're using him as a model for a sculpture class tomorrow."

"Noted," Sikowitz said, and crossed off a line on his list. "Jade – Duncan Sundquist."

"Oh, no," Jade said from the back of the room, sounding annoyed. "I am _not_ partnered with that guy who smells like feet."

"Lately he smells like pomegranate juice," Beck said. "His parents bought a juice store."

"And Tori – Evie West." Sikowitz expertly folded the list of names into a paper airplane and threw it towards Robbie. It landed in Rex's hair.

"Hey!" Robbie said, and grabbed the plane.

"Now, let's continue with the monologue," Sikowitz said. "Andre, Cat, to the stage."

Cat bounded out of her seat happily. Andre followed a little more slowly, still looking over his script.

"Wait," Tori said, as Andre was about to take his place.

"What?"

"You should stop thinking of it like a monologue. Think of it as a song."

Andre tilted his head, considering this.

"You can't remember a monologue, but you know all the words to all the songs in all the musicals they've done here for the past four years. Take the monologue… and make it a song."

"Oh," Andre said, pondering Tori's suggestion. "Oh, man, totally!"

He leapt onto the stage, brushing a right past Cat's bright hair. Cat giggled.

"Well, Andre," Sikowitz said, sounding pleased. "Glad to see some enthusiasm. Give it a shot."

Andre took a final look at his script. Then he belted out, "Hey, baby, it's so good to see you. Hey, baby, I totally can't forget you. Every time I see you I feel like I can fly – every time I leave you I feel like I will die. I think only of you – can't contemplate another thing. Since I first saw you, I've been so in love – it just makes me _sing!"_

His voice was rich and full, and he spread his arms as he sang.

"Wow!" Cat cried, and clapped happily.

"Very nice, Andre," Sikowitz said. "Very nice."

Andre grinned at Tori.

"I never would have thought of making the monologue a song," Sikowitz said. "Brilliant idea! Let's run with it!"

"Can we make my monologue a dance?" Cat asked, her eyes bright.

"We'll see," Sikowitz said. "Now, Eli, will you grab that bucket of tinfoil rolls? It's time to make some hats."

Andre rolled his eyes. Tori laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The next morning Sikowitz's students stood groggily in the parking lot, waiting to board the bus that would take them to the Hooper Museum. They were joined by the students from Ms. Santiago's art classes. Everyone had a bagged lunch, their Hollywood Arts ID and a museum pass on a lanyard, and a new blank book to capture ideas and sketches. Many of Sikowitz's students wore a tinfoil hat as well.

Tori was at the far edge of the group, looking for Evie and Jade. Everyone else had shown up, and the bus was about to head out to the museum.

At last she saw them coming towards her. Evie was sitting in a purple wheelchair, with her oxygen bag on her lap. Jade was pushing the chair, with her bag over her shoulder.

When Evie saw Tori, her face lit up and she waved happily. "Hi, Tori!"

"She's your problem now," Jade said, shoving the chair towards Tori and stomping off.

Evie grabbed the brakes and pulled the chair to a stop.

"She's not a morning person, is she?" Tori asked. "I mean, what's her problem?"

"Well, it could be one of two things," Evie said. "One, she's partnered with a guy who smells like feet and pomegranate juice… or two, she insisted on going to my doctor's appointment yesterday, and it's not like they're ever telling me good news. Jade has a hard time dealing with it, but she likes being such a hardass that she tries not to let anybody notice."

Tori looked over at Jade, who was standing next to an uncomfortably tall boy with bright red hair and yelling something, pointing at a nearby trashcan. "Yikes."

"You can say that again," Evie said. "So, have you thought about the art and drama fusion?"

"Only to realize I don't have any ideas."

"Me neither," Evie said. "I guess I'm hoping the art will inspire me."

The students began boarding the bus with their partners.

"So," Tori said, "how are we going to do this?"

"Well, you can push me over to the bus, then I'll get up and walk up the three steps onto the bus. There's a little lever under the chair seat and if you press it, the chair folds up. Heft it onto the bus with your huge muscles, and we're good to go," Evie said.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Come on, Vega!" Mr. Sikowitz said, spreading his arms broadly. "Let's get onboard!"

He adjusted his tri-corner foil hat, and climbed aboard the bus.

"He doesn't have any shoes on," Evie said.

"He usually doesn't," Tori said.

They had reached the front of the line, and Evie put on the wheelchair's brakes. With only a little struggle, she pulled herself upright, and climbed slowly up the stairs.

Tori looked down at the wheelchair. Sure enough, there was a lever. Tori pressed it, wiggled it, and then jammed it upright. The chair refused to fold.

From behind Tori there was a long, blustery sigh, and then Jade said, "Let me help you."

Without a further word, she stepped forward, shoved the lever upwards, and folded the chair. Then she grabbed the chair and hauled it upwards, her big shoulder bag swinging back and forth.

"Thanks," Tori said, a little stunned.

She was expecting Jade to say something rude, but the girl merely said, "Sometimes it sticks."

And then she strode down the bus aisle, yelling to her partner: "Duncan! Quit picking your nose!"

Tori stowed the wheelchair in the seat in front of Evie, and sat down next to her partner.

After a quick head count, the bus pulled away from Hollywood Arts and sped out onto the highway, carting the students towards the Hooper Museum. The trip was a quick one; due to the early hour the freeways were mostly clear. The only traffic showed up when the bus pulled off at the exit for the museum. Immediately they were stuck in a wave of traffic that seemed to be mostly school buses.

"There are four other schools coming," Evie said, looking out the window.

"So I heard," Tori said.

Cat popped up from the seat behind them. "Is my hat straight?"

Tori turned a little and looked at the redhead. Cat wore a tinfoil bowler hat, festooned with origami flowers. It was pinned to her head with bright blue and green hair clips. "You look very sweet," Tori said.

"Good," Cat said happily. "Where's your hat?"

"Oh, no!" Tori said in mock horror. "I must have left it in my locker!"

Apparently Sikowitz overheard, because he said, "You'll be just fine, Tori. Just stay at least three feet away from the paintings. That way the radio waves won't be able to get at you."

"Sure thing," Tori said.

Eventually the Hollywood Arts bus managed to pull away from the m ass of congregating school buses, and parked at the curb outside the Hooper Museum.

Ms. Santiago stood up. She was a young woman with exotic-looking eyes and long dark hair. She clapped her hands together to get the students' attention. "We have arrived at the museum!" she said. "I'd like to remind you to stay with your partners throughout the day! We are going to be working with pairs from the four other schools, so please make Hollywood Arts proud!"

The students disembarked from the bus. Beck came up from the rear of the bus. "You need some help, Evie-kins?"

Evie looked up at Beck. "Sounds good," she said.

Beck picked up Evie; she put her arms around his neck and allowed him to carry her off the bus. Tori followed with the wheelchair.

"Thanks, Beck," Evie said, sounding a little breathless.

Jade and her partner Duncan emerged from the bus. "You okay, Evie?" Jade asked.

"I'm _fine_, Jadey," Evie said. "Lead on!"

At the door to the museum, Ms. Santiago was passing out index cards with numbers written on them in Magic Marker. "This number represents your focus group!" she said. "We're going to have our first meeting in the cafeteria! Sit at the table with your number on it."

Tori took the card with her name and Evie's written on it; it said "3."

"I'm a three too," Andre said, walking over to her with his partner Patrick.

They entered the museum's foyer. It was beautiful, with white marble floors and walls and black marble accents. There were a few paintings on the walls; they were mostly abstract and colorful, although there were a couple of nearly-photographic portraits.

There was a sign on the wall with an arrow, pointing the students towards the cafeteria. Tori, Andre, Patrick, and Evie moved down the hallway with the rest of the wave of students, all chattering loudly.

The museum's cafeteria was a large, well-appointed space, with wrought iron tables and chairs. The tables were arranged in circular form around a beautiful fountain in the middle, which spat light blue water into the air. The cafeteria was empty for the most part, except for the students who had come in, and two men and a woman who stood near a large wooden box, just across from the serving line.

It took a moment for Andre to find the table marked with a "3", but finally he pointed towards a table in the front of the cafeteria. There were some students already at the table, but none of them were from Hollywood Arts.

Tori navigated a path across the cafeteria for Evie's wheelchair. "Andre, walk in front of us and clear the way," she suggested.

Andre did as she asked, and soon the four Hollywood Arts students were at their table. There were two other students already there.

Immediately Tori had a sinking feeling, looking at the boy and girl at the table. They were both wearing light-colored, preppy clothes, and looked like they had stepped out of a Cape Cod family portrait. The girl was blond, with her shoulder-length hair held back with a pale pink headband; she wore a plaid skirt, pink flats, a single strand of pearls, and a pink button-down shirt. The boy was blond, too, and he wore khakis and a blue button-down shirt.

"Hey," Andre said, in his characteristically friendly manner. He stuck out his hand.

The boy and the girl looked at the outstretched hand as though they had no idea what he wanted.

"Um, I'm Andre," Andre forged on. "We're from Hollywood Arts."

"So we gathered," the girl said, in a voice that sounded nearly snotty.

Tori managed to get Evie's chair up to the table. "Good?"

"Good," Evie agreed.

"I'm Tori," Tori said, sitting down next to Evie.

"Wonderful," the girl said.

Before Tori could say anything else, Sikowitz strode across the cafeteria, waving his hands. "Robbie! Robbie, you left your hat on the bus!"

Robbie flushed and scrambled out of his chair. He hurried over to Sikowitz, grabbed his tinfoil hat, plopped it on his head, and tried to get back into his seat as quickly as possible.

"_Who_ is _that?"_ the girl asked.

"That's our teacher," Andre said. "Howard Sikowitz."

The boy laughed. "That's not Howard Sikowitz."

"Um, yeah, it is," Tori said.

"He's clearly gone downhill, Weatherly," the girl said to the boy. "Remember when we saw him at the Met? What a star he was then."

"He's still a star," Tori said, feeling as though she had to defend Sikowitz.

For the first time the girl turned to look at her tablemates. "What's with that vest?" she asked Patrick, who wore a brightly-colored hand-embroidered sweater vest over a rugby shirt.

"It's from Guatemala," Patrick said proudly.

"I see," the girl said coolly.

Tori leaned towards Andre. "Who are these kids?" she murmured.

"They're from Coastal Prep Academy," Andre said, similarly lowly.

"They're rich jerks," Tori muttered.

"And what's wrong with you?" the girl continued, looking at Evie.

Evie had removed her blank book from her oxygen bag and was sketching a portrait of Sikowitz with quick strokes of a black ink pen. "Huh?"

The girl took this as a sign that Evie was mentally deficient. "Oh, Weatherly," she sighed, "they've partnered us with the special ed class."

"What?" Andre asked, turning around in his seat.

"You're clearly from the special education class," the girl repeated.

"_Langley,"_ Weatherly hissed.

"We're not in special ed," Andre said.

Langley looked him up and down. "Oh," she said, as though there was something gross in her mouth.

"We are going to have the _best_ time," Andre predicted to Tori under his breath.

"Too bad Jade's not here," Evie said, not bothering to lower her voice or even look up from her sketchbook, sweeping the pen across the page with quick strokes. "She'd kill you guys."

"Did you say something?" Langley asked.

Evie looked up. "See that girl over there?" She pointed across the cafeteria, to where Jade sat sullenly next to Duncan. For some reason, Jade looked especially menacing, wearing all black and a few spiky bracelets.

"I suppose you're going to tell us she's your little friend," Langley said.

"No," Evie said. "She's my sister. And I don't think she'd like you talking to us like that."

Langley took another look at Jade, and an expression of slight fear crossed her face. She turned back to the table, crossed her arms, and said nothing.

The woman at the front of the room stood up on the large wooden box, and waved her hands. "Good morning, students!" she called.

The room went silent.

"That's more like it!" the woman said.

"Let's get this show on the road," Andre said.

Tori turned away from Langley and Weatherly, pulled out her blank book, and prepared to create art.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The woman, who was short and lithe with short gray hair, clapped her hands together again. "Welcome to the Hooper Museum!" she said. "My name is Alyson Cassiday, and I am the Director of Educational Outreach. These lovely gentlemen are Byron Miller and Allan Kasper, and they are, respectively, the Director of Cultural Research and the Director of Acquisitions. We'll be showing you around today, telling you about our program, and basically making sure your day is a success.

"Now, I've asked the teachers from each of the five schools to come forward and introduce themselves, and maybe tell us a little bit about why they chose to come today."

"Oh, man," Andre said. "Sikowitz and Santiago together."

"It'll be like watching a bad sitcom," Tori agreed.

"It sounds like one of Robbie's vaudeville pairs," Andre said.

"Oh, give them a chance," Evie said. "Ms. Santiago has her heart in the right place, and Sikowitz… well… let's just say he's enthusiastic."

The art teacher from PS 419 came forward and talked a little about their new drama program. She was followed by a pair of men in black turtlenecks and gray pants, who were from the Conrad School for the Arts. The drama teacher and choir instructor from Coastal Prep Academy spoke the longest; they were followed by a tall black man who was the drama instructor for Hargrave High School.

Sikowitz and Santiago were up last. Sikowitz swept off his tinfoil hat. "Good morning, young performers!" he called out. "I am Howard Sikowitz."

"And I am Alicia Santiago," Ms. Santiago said.

"I am the drama instructor –.."

"And I am the 2-D art and mixed media instructor…"

"For H0llywood Arts," Sikowitz concluded.

"We're so proud to be here," Ms. Santiago said. "We brought some of our best performers and artists today, and we're excited about this program."

"Our end results will be displayed at Parents' Night," Sikowitz said. "You all are welcome to come and view our collaborations."

Alyson Cassiday stepped forward. "Thank you to all of our instructors! Now, let's discuss today's schedule. First, the odd-numbered groups will be viewing one of our seven galleries of sculptures, etchings, paintings, statues, collectibles, and more. The even-numbered groups will be outside in the courtyard, moving in a circuit to visit little groups of actors and actresses who have participated in the art-drama fusion. We'll switch once before lunch and twice afterward. At the end of the day we'll have a concluding performance in the amphitheater, followed by a short awards ceremony."

The groups split up then. Group Three was assigned to the portraiture gallery on the third floor.

"Let's vamoose," Andre said, gathering his backpack.

"I hear the portraiture gallery has works by Degas," Evie said, tilting her head up to look at Tori.

Tori backed her wheelchair out from the table. "Was he the one who painted the dancers?"

"Yeah," Evie said.

"Where's the elevator?" Tori asked.

"Down there," Patrick said helpfully, pointing to a sign that detailed the whereabouts of several galleries, the restrooms, the gift shop, and more.

"We'll take the stairs," Langley said without a second glance at the group from Hollywood Arts.

"Awesome," Andre said, watching as the two oxford-clad prep students disappeared.

"The less the merrier," Tori agreed.

The four from Hollywood Arts boarded the elevator and rode up to the third floor. Tori awkwardly wheeled Evie out, banging the footplates into the side.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," Evie said. "You're a better driver than Jade."

The portraiture gallery was open and light, with honey-colored wood floors. They were the only people there, making it look even larger. Evie stuck out her hand and waved at some of the paintings. "Let's start over there," she said.

"What are we supposed to write in these books?" Patrick asked, holding up his journal.

"Anything!" Evie said grandly. "Impressions, thoughts, quotes, portraits…"

"Hate letters to Coastal Prep Academy," Tori added.

"Funny quotes from Sikowitz," Andre put in.

"Makes sense," Patrick said.

"Are we supposed to look like the people in these pictures?" Tori wanted to know.

"You think I could be a baron?" Andre asked, striking a pose in front of a portrait of a very large man in a velvet coat.

"Sure," Tori said, and hurried over to the next picture, which showed a woman holding a parasol walking in a rose garden. "And me?"

"Of course, milady!" Andre agreed.

Patrick struck out across the gallery and chose a portrait of two men sitting on a bus bench. "I could be this one," he said, bending as though he was sitting and then propping his elbows on his knees, "… or this one." He struck the pose of the other man.

"Which one do you want to be, Evie?" Tori asked.

"Hmm." Evie turned her chair around to look at all of the portraits. "How about that one?"

She rolled her way over to a scene featuring Betsy Ross and several men in breeches. She braked her chair and stood up, striking the same pose as Betsy, holding the famed flag.

For a moment the kids held their poses, and it was as though they had transcended time, space, and disability to become someone new.

Then, of course, Langley and Weatherly came in and ruined the whole thing.

At lunch Sikowitz's students found a table together. Jade sat on Beck's lap as they shared one bagged lunch. Cat, with her tinfoil hat securely in place, recounted the wonderful morning she'd had in the statue garden.

"You should have seen her," Robbie said, taking out a cup of applesauce. "She played every statue."

"I did!" Cat agreed happily. "Robbie took pictures!"

"Put 'em up on The Slap," Andre said.

"Yay!" Cat unwrapped her peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich.

"Evie, don't forget your pills," Jade said.

"Thanks, Jadey," Evie said, only a touch sarcastically.

"I'm just _telling_ you," Jade said.

"Jadey, I've taken pills at every single meal and snack since I was old enough to swallow them," Evie said. "It's unlikely I'll forget."

"Oreo?" Beck said to Jade. He winked at Evie.

"Fine," Jade said, turning back to her boyfriend.

Evie gave Beck a small smile, then swallowed her mouthful of pills with her cranberry juice.

"I have a question to ask," Cat said, putting down her sandwich. "Is it okay to go skinny-dipping in the fountain? I mean, I wouldn't be skinny-dipping. I'd have my clothes on. But not my socks. Or shoes. Would you call that just 'dipping'?"

"I thought dipping was what came with chips," Robbie said.

"That's 'dip,'" Beck said helpfully. "Chips and dip."

"You can't go in the fountain," Andre said.

"Oh! Why not?" Cat pouted.

"Well, for one thing, there's a sign that says 'Stay out of fountain,'" Andre said. "And for another, we're tired of being ragged on by those kids from Coastal Prep Academy."

"Yeah," Tori agreed. "They think we're in the special ed class."

Jade snorted.

"It's not funny!" Evie said.

"It's a _little_ funny," Jade said.

"They think everything we do is hilarious," Tori went on. "They keep staring at us like we've got some sort of disease."

She immediately realized it was a bad thing to say in front of Evie, so she quickly added, "Like leprosy. Like we're lepers."

"I have a joke about lepers," Robbie said brightly.

"We're _eating_," Jade said.

"Why did the referee stop the lepers' hockey game?" Robbie asked, steamrolling over Jade.

"I don' t know," Andre said, pausing with an apple in his hand. "Why?"

"Because there was a face off in the corner!" Robbie finished gleefully.

Everyone at the table groaned.

"I don't know which is worse – Robbie's jokes or Weatherly and Langley," Tori said to Andre.

"I think Robbie should tell Weatherly and Langley his jokes," Andre said.

Tori laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Breathing Room Chapter Seven

At the end of the day, when the Hollywood Arts students were back in their own parking lot, Evie turned to Tori. "So, I'm thinking we'll probably need a lot of time to work on our collaboration."

"Yeah, totally," Tori said. The arts presented at the museum had been great, but complex. Finishing one in time for parents' night was going to be hard.

"Um, well, I was wondering if you'd like to sleep over at my house tomorrow night, and work on our project." Evie flushed as she asked the question. "I mean, if you want to."

"I'd love to," Tori said. "It'll be the perfect time to work on our stuff."

"And plus, you probably want to see what Jade's like at home, right?" Evie asked with a grin.

"Yes, that excites me as well," Tori confessed, and laughed.

"She and Beck will be out for part of the evening, so we can snoop through her things," Evie said.

"Perfect!" Tori said, and they both giggled.

Feeling a little less courageous than the previous day on the bus, Tori rang the Wests' doorbell shortly before six o'clock the next night. There was a short silence, and then she could hear yelling: "Jadey, can you get the door?"

"Mom, I'm getting in the shower!"

"Where's your father?"

"He went to the hardware store!"

"For what?"

"Some tubing for Evie's compressor! Mom, just get the door!"

"Oh!"

Footsteps, and then the door was opened by a smiling woman with light brown hair. She was casually dressed, in jeans and a T-shirt that read "Excuse me, I have to go beat my daughter."

Tori was a bit shocked by the shirt, so shocked that for a moment she couldn't remember what she was doing. Then she recovered. "Um, hi, I'm Tori Vega. I'm here to work on a project with Evie."

"Hello, pleased to meet you," the woman said. "I'm Annie West. Would you like to come in?"

"Uh, yes." Tori stepped into the front foyer and allowed the door to be closed behind her.

"You're wondering about the shirt," Annie West said, smiling at Tori's confused look.

"Maybe just a little."

"We made them for a fundraiser," Annie said. "It refers to chest percussion, which we do on Evie every day so she can cough up a bunch of junk. It's a joke that only CF parents understand. Sometimes we like a little dark humor."

"Oh," Tori said.

From the other room she heard what sounded like Evie's voice, if the girl was riding over a road full of potholes. "Mom! Was that Tori?"

"Right this way," Annie said, and led Tori through a dining room to an attached living room, where Evie sat on one of two flowered couches. The tiny girl wore a heavy black vest over her T-shirt; the vest was connected to a box on the floor by the means of two big tubes, and the entire thing seemed to be shaking.

"Hi, Tori!" Evie said, smiling.

"Hi," Tori said, looking with some interest and confusion at the device on the floor.

"It's a vest," Evie said, her voice still vibrating. "Shakes up my chest wall, gets junk out. I've only got a few more minutes."

"Did you do your nebulizers?" Annie asked.

"Yeah," Evie said.

"I'll be in the kitchen."

Evie grabbed the TV remote and switched off "Golden Girls." She turned to Tori. "I thought up some great ideas for our collaboration," she said.

At that moment the box on the floor beeped. Tori jumped.

Evie laughed, and leaned over to hit the "off" switch on the box. She undid the Velcro and shrugged off the heavy vest. "I hate that thing," she said with her normal voice. Tori could see for the first time that she wore a T-shirt similar to Annie's; hers read "My mom beats me."

She grabbed her oxygen backpack and swung it over her shoulder. "I left my sketchbook upstairs."

"Evie, what time did you want dinner?" Annie called from the kitchen.

Evie looked at Tori. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Twenty minutes, Mom!" Evie called.

"Sure thing!"

"Come on," Evie said to Tori.

They headed upstairs, walking past the bathroom where the shower was running. Evie pointed to the door. "The demon is getting ready for her date."

"I heard that!" Jade's voice rang out from behind the door.

"How?" Evie demanded.

"The demon has super hearing!"

Evie laughed and the laugh became a cough. It was the most gut-wrenching cough Tori had ever heard, and it went on for several long seconds. Finally Evie got her breath back. "Sorry," she panted.

"It's okay," Tori said.

The door to the bathroom flew open, and Jade stood there in a big pink fluffy towel. "Are you okay?" she demanded fiercely, seemingly unaware of Tori's presence.

"Yeah," Evie gasped. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What are you doing here?" Jade asked, glaring at Tori.

"Back, demon," Evie said. "We're working on our project for parents' night."

Jade gave Tori and Evie a suspicious look, as though she knew exactly what they were up to. "You sound like crap," she said.

"Mom's going to beat me later," Evie said blithely, and continued into her room.

Tori gave Jade one last look.

"Vega, if this gets out, I'm going to ruin you," Jade said simply, and slammed the door to the bathroom.

Once Tori was safely in Evie's room, she let loose with a cascade of giggles. "Oh, oh, my, that was perfect!" she exclaimed.

"We aim to please," Evie said with a grin.

She grabbed her sketchbook from her desk and opened it. "So, I was thinking that we could do sort of a reverse of what they showed us at the museum. Like, they showed us actors doing sketches of things that artists had already done. But what if we did the opposite? You could do a scene, and while you were doing it, I would draw my impressions."

She showed Tori a mock-up in her sketchbook.

"You drew me?" Tori asked, vaguely flattered.

"I had a lot of time in study hall," Evie said, flushing.

"I love it. I look confident."

"You _are_ confident."

"Thanks. Sometimes it doesn't feel like it. So, would we have to write the sketches?"

"Yeah," Evie said, "but I thought we could take the majority of them from the shows we've already done this year. That way it's familiar material. Like, what's the one you're doing right now?"

"'An Afternoon to Remember,'" Tori replied.

"Oh, yeah," Evie said. "Jade's playing the nun, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"A better role was never created," Evie declared. "So, what do you think of the plan?"

"I love it. What does this mean, though?" Tori asked, pointing to a notation in the sketchbook.

"Those are the colors I'm thinking of using," Evie answered. "I thought we'd start mostly with black and white, you know, for that one play that was set in the 20's, and then move into blues and greens for that weird environmental monologue Sikowitz made you do… followed by a lot of gold and gray for the 'Afternoon' part, and finish with the full spectrum, obviously representing 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'"

"Awesome," Tori said.

They worked on shortening some of the monologues until Annie called up the stairs to say that dinner was ready.

Over pizza, Annie said, "So, Tori, I understand you're new to Hollywood Arts."

"Yes," Tori said. "I, um, took my sister's place in the Big Showcase."

"Oh, that was _you_," Annie said. "I knew you looked familiar."

"Tori's in some of Jade's classes," Evie said. "They have Sikowitz together."

"The man is a nutjob, but he's also brilliant," Annie said, pouring herself some more water. "Did I ever tell you that we went to see him in a play?"

"Really? Which one?" Evie asked.

"He had a small part in 'Guys and Dolls,'" Annie said. "It was the year your father stopped taking trombone lessons, so we had a lot of free time on Thursday evenings. He actually wasn't bad."

"Mr. Sikowitz?"

"Yeah. He played a gambler," Annie said. "And for some reason after that, your father wanted to take up the trombone again."

The back door opened and a dark-haired man came in, carrying a bag from Hudson's Hardware. "Hello, my favorite ladies."

"Hi, Dad!" Evie said.

The man gave Annie and Evie a kiss and then turned to Tori. "Hello there," he said. "I hear you're working on a project with our Evie. I'm Kent."

"Tori."

"If you girls are done, I'll clear the table," Annie said. "Honey, there's pizza in the oven."

"I'm going to change, and I'll be right back," Kent said.

Annie stood and started taking plates off the table.

"Thanks, Mom," Evie said.

"Thanks, Mrs. West," Tori added.

Jade clomped down the stairs and entered the kitchen. "I'm leaving," she said shortly.

"Have fun, sweetie," Annie said. "Will you and Beck come back here for dessert? We'd love to have you. I feel like I haven't seen him in ages."

"Yeah, we'll come back," Jade said. "The movie's over at nine."

"Are you taking the van?"

"No, Beck's coming to pick me up." Jade looked out the front window. "And there he is."

"Have fun!" Annie called as Jade left through the front door. She turned to Evie and Tori. "What are you girls going to do?"

"Well, we got a lot of work done on our project," Evie said. "I guess we could watch a movie."

"Sounds good," Tori said.

Evie's eyes went bright as she thought about it. "You know what? I've got the perfect one."

A few minutes later they were sprawled on the couches in the living room, watching a badly-shot video of five-year-old Jade at various dance recitals. Tori was laughing so hard her sides hurt.

"Isn't she precious?" Evie asked, grinning.

"She's… something," Tori said, watching raptly as Jade, in a blue leotard and tutu, performed a dance to a "Nutcracker" piece.

When the video ended Evie turned off the TV. "Jade won't be back for another hour. Do you want to go rifle through her stuff?"

"Um, _yeah_," Tori said.

Jade's room was a forbidding fortress from the hallway; the door had been painted black and several serious signs warned "Keep Out" and "No Admittance." Evie jiggled the door handle.

"Locked?" Tori asked.

"Yeah," Evie said, "but no worries."

She took a bobby pin out of her hair and unbent it. With swift movements she inserted the pin into the lock and wiggled it around. A satisfying _click_ followed, and the door opened.

"Ta-da," Evie said.

"How'd you learn how to do that?" Tori asked, astonished.

"I have a lot of spare time," Evie said. "Come on."

To Tori's surprise, Jade's room was neat and perfectly ordered. It was all a bit dark for her tastes, but she could find no fault in the shelves of books, posters 0f famous plays, and a well-made bed. In fact, it was a little disappointing. She was hoping for something else – _what_, she didn't know. Maybe bottles of newt eyes and little voodoo dolls of Tori herself.

"I know where she keeps her diary," Evie offered, and pulled open the top drawer on Jade's desk.

"She keeps a diary?" Tori asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah," Evie said. "We both started when we were in fifth grade. I stopped 'cause I'd rather be drawing, but Jadey can't help herself. She's got a million old notebooks. I've learned so much from reading them when she's not home. Did you know she used to date Robbie?"

"_Robbie?"_

"Yeah," Evie said.

"The one in our grade? The one with the puppet?"

"One and the same," Evie said, and giggled. "They went out for like six months in seventh grade. And they broke up because that was when Beck moved to town."

"Makes sense."

Evie flipped open the small leather-bound book. "Let's see. This is from about four days ago. 'Dear Diary, Today Beck and I went out to the pier and got ice cream.'"

"Aww," Tori said.

" 'We sat there as the sun went down. We talked about school and boring stuff like that, and whether Cat's going to have her birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese again. We both decided that she's way too old for that, and so we're going to talk her into having it at Bella Fina – she likes their food and they have a band on Friday nights.

" 'Then Beck asked me about Evie's doctor's appointment and I just froze up. He asked if it was bad news and of course I got all sarcastic. Of course it's bad news. It's always bad news. Her lung function is down to something like 55%. Beck asked what happens when it gets lower.'"

Evie's voice trembled a little bit as she continued to read. " 'I told him there aren't a lot of options. She'll have to get a lung transplant… or she'll die. And I know this'll make me sound like a pansy, something I hate, but if Evie dies I'm going to kill myself. Evie is the reason I get up in the morning. She's everything good with the world. She's light and sweetness and I love her more than I love anything else. I want to do anything I can to keep her alive. I haven't told anyone else, but I've been spending study hall in the library, trying to find new treatments for cystic fibrosis. If it's out there, I want to find it. I've been emailing doctors at the Mayo Clinic and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. They all say there could be a treatment in five to ten years, but I worry that won't be enough time for Evie.'"

Evie closed the diary and gently put it back into Jade's desk drawer. "Damn," she said, concern in her eyes. "I had no idea."

"It's nice she worries about you," Tori said.

"She shouldn't have to worry about me," Evie said. "She should be having fun and dating Beck and locking freshman in lockers."

From downstairs Annie called, "Girls? Would you like some ice cream? Jade's going to be home in a few minutes!"

Evie gave Tori a small, sad smile, and the two girls went back down the stairs.


	8. Chapter 8

In the kitchen, Annie served up bowls of ice cream and various toppings. Jade was at the refrigerator, hunting for a pitcher of juice. Beck sat on a stool at the counter.

"How was the movie, sweetheart?" Annie asked Jade.

Jade took the juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass. "Boring. They said it was supposed to be the scariest zombie film since 'Return of the Dead,' and they totally lied."

"Not scary?"

"No, it was lame. And they worked in a romantic comedy sub-plot," Jade said, sitting down at the table.

"Ooh," Annie said with a wince.

"It was pretty awful," Beck said. "Despite the fact that the girl was kinda cute."

Jade rolled her eyes.

"When are you working on your thing for parents' night?" Evie asked Jade.

"Well, I hate Duncan Sundquist, so my preferable choice would be never," Jade said. "But unfortunately if we don't work on it we fail both of our classes… so probably in study hall." She looked over at Tori. "Did you guys get some work done?"

"Mm-hmm," Tori said.

"We're doing great," Evie said. "That trip to the museum really inspired me."

"And it inspired me to never go to Coastal Prep Academy," Tori added.

"True enough," Jade said, and laughed.

"Those kids were horrible," Beck said.

"What about your partner, Beck?" Tori asked.

"Claire Lathrop? She's okay. She's really into Jesus," Beck said, "so that'll probably show up in our performance."

"Oh, you're with _that_ girl?" Evie said. "She's always painting portraits of angels, and she goes around trying to convert people. She tried to convert Elisha Rosenzweiss – and he wears a yarmulke! That should be plenty of proof he doesn't want y0ur Lord."

"She's a fruitcake," Jade said bluntly.

"Jadey," Annie said disapprovingly.

"No, Mom, she is," Evie said. "She only found God in eighth grade. And there's nothing wrong with finding God, but nobody likes a pusher."

"Too much 'Mean Girls'?" Jade asked, only a touch sarcastically.

Evie flushed, and laughed.

After dessert Beck and Jade went out to the front porch to say goodbye. Annie put the ice cream bowls in the dishwasher and then turned to Evie. "Would you like to start your nightly torture, so you and Tori can start the fun sleepover part of the evening?"

"Sure," Evie said. "Tori, this is the hideous boring part of the evening, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Tori said. "I brought a book. Well, a script, technically. I've got to finish memorizing all the lines for our performance. We've got a dress rehearsal Tuesday night."

"Have at it," Evie said.

"Do you mind if we watch the news?" Annie asked.

"That's fine," Evie answered.

In the living room, Annie pulled out what resembled a massage table with one set of short legs, so its surface was tilted. Evie lay on it, and Annie pounded on her back with cupped hands. Evie hacked and gasped and choked, but Annie never let up. After fifteen minutes Annie stopped, and listened to Evie suck in air one tortured breath at a time. "Do you want a sucker?" Annie asked.

Evie heaved in a breath. "Yeah."

Annie reached over to a gray bag on the end table and pulled out a long flexible tube with a red end, which was attached to a small gray machine. She flipped a switch on the machine and it sputtered to life. Evie took the tube and stuck it into her mouth. There was a slurping, sucking noise, and Evie gagged a little.

When she removed the tube Annie shut off the machine. "You know the drill, baby cakes. Roll."

And Evie rolled to her back and they repeated the process.

At last Annie stopped pounding, and she handed the suction tube to Evie, who used it and then handed it back. "I'm going to get your food ready," Annie said. "Take a minute and breathe, okay?"

"Mm-hmm," Evie said.

"You do that every day?" Tori asked as Annie headed for the kitchen.

"Twice a day," Evie said, readjusting her oxygen tubing.

"Wow," Tori said.

"It's life, unfortunately." Evie shrugged. "But now it's over."

She sat up and scooted off the table. "Let's steal some of Jade's candy from the kitchen and go play Truth or Dare or something equally as girly."

"Sounds good."

In the kitchen Jade was sitting on a stool talking to Annie. She broke off mid-sentence, saying, "Don't you dare steal my candy."

"Jade," Annie said.

"Would I ever do something like that?" Evie asked innocently.

"Do you want to play Truth or Dare with us?" Tori asked Jade.

Jade looked at Tori as though she had suggested human sacrifice,but then said merely, "Sure. That sounds like fun."

"Good answer," Annie said. She handed two cans across the counter to Evie, who was rummaging in the pantry. "Here."

"Thanks," Evie said, and stuffed the cans into her oxygen bag. "Jade, where'd you put the mini Snickers?"

"In my new hiding place, with the rest of the miniature candy bars, safe from your not-so-miniature hands." Jade slid off the stool. "But I will make us popcorn."

"I accept your offer," Evie said.

While the popcorn popped, the girls changed into their pajamas. Tori came out of the bathroom to find Jade sitting on a beanbag near the foot of Evie's bed, holding the bowl of popcorn. Evie was on her bed, pouring the contents of the two cans into a plastic bag. "It's food," she said in response to Tori's questioning gaze. "Okay, so it's not really food. It's disgusting high-calorie formula that goes through a tube into my stomach every night. Keeps me looking model-svelte."

"Call Tyra Banks,"Jade said sarcastically.

"I saw her once, did you know that?" Evie said, immune to Jade's sarcasm."She was at a restaurant down near the modern art museum."

"What did she order?" Tori asked, stuffing her clothes into her bag.

"Oddly enough, eggs Benedict," Evie replied. She closed the top of the plastic bag and ran the tubing connected to the bottom through a small machine mounted to her headboard. With small, practiced moves she connected the tube to a plastic port in her stomach, and hit the "on" button on the machine.

"Are we playing Truth or Dare or not?" Jade asked, crunching a mouthful of popcorn.

"I'm ready," Evie said.

"Me too," Tori said, taking a seat on the other beanbag.

"Okay, Jadey, Truth or Dare," Evie said.

"Truth," Jade said, and offered the popcorn bowl to Tori, who took a handful.

"Um, okay," Evie said. "You usually pick Dare."

"I got wise to that,"Jade said."You always make me steal from Dad's change jar."

"I like those slushy drinks at school, and the machine stopped taking bills," Evie said defensively. "So,anyway,who kisses better – Beck or Robbie?"

"Why would I have kissed Robbie?" Jade asked.

"It's okay, Tori knows you dated him," Evie said.

"I'll repeat - why would I have kissed him?"

"Did you kiss Rex?" Tori asked innocently.

"I didn't kiss either of them!" Jade exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Evie asked. "If you're lying, we'll just make you do a Dare."

"Okay, fine," Jade said,grabbing the popcorn bowl away from Tori. "Yes, I kissed Robbie, and kissing Robbie was like sucking on a retainer, if said retainer had been marinated in a bowl of mandarin oranges."

"Ewww," Tori and Evie said together.

"You wanted to know," Jade said. "Vega, Truth or Dare."

"Uh, Truth," Tori said.

"Have you ever considered telling your sister she's a talentless harpy?"

"_Jade_," Evie said.

"I figured I'd let you do it," Tori said. "You know, since she knows where I live and everything."

"Good,"Jade said. "I'll put it on my To-Do list for Monday."

"Evie, Truth or Dare," Tori said.

"Oh, Truth," Evie said. "I'll follow the crowd."

"What's the weirdest thing Jade's ever done at home?"

"She went through a musical phase," Evie said. "Everything had to be sung."

Tori laughed. "Really? What, was she like eight?"

"More like fifteen," Evie said.

"I had just seen 'Spring Awakening,' okay? Bite me!" Jade scowled.

When the popcorn was almost gone, Annie appeared in Evie's doorway. "Thought I'd just come check on you girls," she said.

"No one's dead, and we're not making prank phone calls," Evie said.

"The phone bill thanks you," Annie said. "Jade, Cat's on the phone for you."

Jade got to her feet. "It's been real," she said. "And Vega, if you tell _anyone_ that I kissed Robbie…"

"I know, you'll ruin me socially."

"You got it. Night, Evie."

"Night, Jadey."

When Jade had gone, Annie turned to Tori and Evie. "Are you girls all set in here?"

"Yep," Evie said.

"Tori, do you need another pillow or blanket?"

"I'm okay, thanks," Tori said, plumping the large pillow Evie had given her, and settling down on the other side of Evie's bed.

"Good. I'll see you girls in the morning. How do waffles sound for breakfast?"

"Awesome," Evie said.

"Are you ready for your hook-up?" Annie asked.

"Mm-hmm," Evie replied.

She removed the oxygen cannula from behind her ears and picked up a plastic mask attached by a hose to a machine sitting on the bedside table. She fitted the mask over her face. Annie took the oxygen bag from the bed, and set it near the door with the popcorn bowl. From an oxygen tank in the corner, she brought over another thin oxygen tube. Evie hooked it into a port on the mask and flipped a switch on the machine.

"Good job," Annie said. "I'll fill up the cylinder for tomorrow."

"Thanks, Mom," Evie said from behind the mask.

"Good night, girls," Annie said.


	9. Chapter 9

"Drive-by acting exercise!" Sikowitz announced Monday morning in class. "You're all disgruntled wizards!"

As Tori pretended to brandish a magic wand and act crotchety, she was thinking about their final rehearsals for "An Afternoon to Remember." The Parents' Night debut was coming up quickly, and between her diligent work on the play and her endless rewriting of the art-drama fusion exercises, she was more than ready for it all to be over.

"Good, good!" Sikowitz said, clapping his hands. "Very good! Now, we'll proceed down to the theater for our final rehearsal. Please remember it's full dress tonight, no makeup. If you haven't received your full costumes from Ms. Harrison, please visit her at your leisure. But not too leisurely, because the woman does have a life."

"Did she get another boyfriend?" Andre asked.

"Yes, she did, Andre!" Sikowitz answered. "I hear his name is Tom and he's a real stand-up guy."

"Good for Ms. Harrison," Tori said. "She deserves a nice guy."

"I didn't say he was nice," Sikowitz said. "I said he's a stand-up guy. You can see him Tuesdays and Thursdays during the eight o'clock show at The Funny Factory."

The class collectively groaned at Sikowitz's joke, and then there was a scramble for scripts, props, and little bits of costumes. Andre grabbed his hat. Tori snagged her juggling clubs from the table in Sikowitz's room, and the class went down to the theater.

The lighting crew was already there, along with some members of the scenery-painting class. All were putting the final touches on their respective pieces for the show. Sikowitz waved to Sinjin. "All prepared, my lighting wizard?"

"Almost," Sinjin said. "I wanted to ask you a question about the liquid gel fills for the…"

"Just do what you feel is best," Sikowitz said, waving his hand broadly. "You're a smart fellow!"

"Does he know who he's talking to?" Jade muttered.

"Okay, folks, let's get rolling," Sikowitz said.

For the rest of the morning, the cast of "An Afternoon to Remember" was put through their paces. There were a couple of glitches – a piece of scenery fell on Beck and Robbie, one of the main stage lights burned out and had to be replaced with a pin-spot, and somehow Andre and Beck came onstage from the wrong wing, twice.

But other than that, the rehearsal was perfect. Sikowitz was on his feet in the first row, waving his arms and making notes in his copy of the script, but rarely did he call out. He corrected a few lines and redid some of the blocking, but otherwise the actors did their best and he had nothing to complain about.

At the end he circled the performers and went over his notes. "Sinjin, the liquid gel fills were perfect. I'd like you to up the blue balance for the circus scene, and for the finale bows, just remove the fill altogether."

He turned his attention to the quintet that was providing musical accompaniment to the show. "Viola and violins, I was impressed. Cello, what were you thinking?"

The cello player, a tiny girl named Hailey, burst into tears.

"Easy, easy," Sikowitz said, obviously uneasy.

The sight of the oddly-dressed barefoot man seemed to terrify her more, and she sobbed without restraint.

"She just broke up with her boyfriend," said the bass player, an equally tiny girl named Marissa who had to stand on a stool in order to reach the top of the neck.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sikowitz said. He looked confused for a moment, and then said, "Cello, I understand that you're going through some emotional issues now. Could you put those aside and concentrate on your solo?"

Hailey wailed, "I just told him I thought we were getting too serious!"

"Oh, lord," Jade said, and rolled her eyes.

"Well, they _were_," Cat said. "Tony totally wanted her to… you know…"

"Rosin his bow?" Andre said, completely dead-pan.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll explain it to you later," Beck said to Cat.

"He told me he wanted the necklace back! The one he gave me for my birthday!" Hailey sobbed.

"I hope you didn't give it to him," Marissa said.

Hailey dragged one sleeve across her face, wiping her nose on it. "No, of course not."

"Good girl."

"_Ladies_," Sikowitz said. "Could we please return to the show at hand?"

"Sorry, Mr. Sikowitz," Marissa said, and Hailey mumbled something that sounded like an apology.

When the bell rang at the end of rehearsal, Sikowitz yelled out a reminder to the actors to put away their costume pieces and props before Ms. Harrison caught them being "im-_prop_-er" with them, and over the sound of groans, they did as they were asked.

"Coming to lunch?" Andre asked Tori as he re-racked his hat.

"Sure," Tori said. "I'm just going down to the art studio to check on Evie's progress. She's still putting together the canvases for our fusion project."

"Oh, yeah, I heard you're going to blow everybody out of the water."

"Well, I don't know about that," Tori said, "but I'm pretty satisfied with what we've gotten done so far."

"And there's no drama," Andre said. "Can you believe Hailey Moscowitz?"

"Well, Tony doesn't know what he's missing," Tori said.

"Do you even know Tony?"

"No, but that dramatic scene during rehearsal was pure gold. Put that on a Web show – people would watch it," Tori said.

Andre laughed. "See you at lunch."

Tori grabbed her backpack and headed down to the 2D art rooms. Evie had taken over a corner of Ms. Santiago's large office, and that was where Tori found her. "Hey, partner."

"Hey, Tori," Evie said, looking up from the gigantic canvas laid across two desks. "How was rehearsal?"

"Overly dramatic, and I'm not just talking about the play," Tori said, and related the story of Hailey the sobbing cellist.

"Wow," Evie said when she was done. "Heavy stuff."

"Totally. How's the art half of the art-drama fusion coming?"

"Well, this is the last canvas I have to prepare," Evie said, "so that's positive. I'm still working on some of the colors for the painting part, but I think I'll knock those out during study hall. And Ms. Santiago just went to find me the rest of the brushes I asked for."

"Sweet," Tori said.

"Did you figure out the rest of your costumes yet?" Evie asked.

"I'm still working on the one for the 'Joseph' medley," Tori said, "but I think I've got that almost taken care of. Andre was checking to see if he still had that gigantic stuffed sheep. Otherwise all the props and costumes are ready to go. Of course, I've still got to get them out of the house, because Trina's been making eyes at my 1920's gown."

"The faster the better," Evie said. "If you end up needing a backup, I think Jade still has her dress from that play."

She dipped her brush into the bucket of gesso that sat on the desk next to her. "We're totally going to have the best fusion," she said. "I've been looking at some of the stuff the other pairs are doing, and none of it even comes _close_ to ours, not even in concept!"

"Really?" Tori asked.

"Well, you know Jade and her partner Duncan?"

"The guy who alternately smells like pomegranates and feet?"

"That's him. They are so at odds about what to do, I think their act is just going to be Jade killing Duncan."

"It certainly would be artistic."

"And Claire Lathrop? The girl working with Beck? She got really derailed over the weekend – she was reading the book of Psalms, and she's decided that the Psalms are going to be their main focus."

"Intense," Tori said. "Hey, are you going to lunch?"

"Yeah," Evie said. "But I've got second lunch."

"Oh."

"But I'll see you at the dress rehearsal tonight."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I like to go to all of Jade's dress rehearsals. Less of a crowd, more authenticity." She smiled at Tori.

"Sounds good," Tori said. "Hey, I had a great time at your house on Friday night."

"Thanks," Evie said, blushing a little. "I don't usually have friends over. Partly because of me… and partly because of Jade."

"No more explanation needed," Tori said, and laughed as she left for lunch.


	10. Chapter 10

"I hate dress rehearsals!" Cat moaned as she tried to secure a brooch to her collar.

Tori leaned over and unclasped the pin on the back of the brooch. "Try it now. Dress rehearsals are fun," she said.

"I always get so nervous!"

"Why? Nobody's watching us!"

"There are plenty of us watching us. Sikowitz… the whole orchestra…"

"It's not a whole orchestra – it's a quintet."

"… Evie…"

"I don't think she'll judge us."

"Duncan Sundquist!"

"And I hear he smells like feet."

Jade entered the dressing room in her nun's costume, carrying two straw hats. "Cat, there were two straw hats in there. I didn't know which one was yours, so I brought them both."

"Oh, _no,"_ Cat said. "I can't remember which one's mine!"

"Yours is the one with the fake cherries on the brim," Tori said, "because the other one's mine."

She took the hats from Jade. "Looking good, Jade."

"Oh, shut up."

There was a knock on the dressing room door. "Ladies, four minutes to curtain!" Sikowitz called.

Tori adjusted her hat and pushed up her small wire-rimmed spectacles. She felt a small flutter of excitement and nervousness in her stomach. She loved getting down to business with a production. Costumes and full music always led a feeling of authenticity to a show, and she loved the way getting through a full rehearsal made her feel. "Lead on, Horatio."

Jade rolled her eyes and opened the door. The sounds of the quintet tuning up floated into the dressing room.

"I'm ready," Cat said, and squared her shoulders in the mirror.

Sikowitz was in the hallway wearing a small top hat.

"Lookin' good, Sikowitz," Andre said as he exited the men's dressing room.

"It's my traditional dress rehearsal top hat," the teacher responded. "Places, everyone!"

In the wings the prop assistants, set techs, and lighting aides were running around, finishing their preparations for the run. They were clipping on book lights, turning up walkie-talkies, and laying out over-the-ear mikes. The head sound tech came forward to give mikes to Jade, Tori, and Cat, taping them into place. Then she gave Andre his mike. "Don't chew on it like last time," the sound tech said, grinning.

"In my defense, I was really hungry," Andre said. "But don't worry – I had some nachos before I came."

"Good," the sound tech said, and rushed off to check the mikes.

In the orchestra pit, the girl who played first violin in the Hollywood Arts orchestra was standing on a milk crate, preparing to conduct the quintet. Hailey Moscowitz was at her usual post, looking only a little sad.

"Break a leg, but please don't break a leg," Sikowitz said to the assembled cast. With a jaunty wave he headed through the wings to the front of the house, where he would sit on a stool and follow the show with his copy of the script.

Tori peeped out of the wings and saw Evie sitting in the middle of the auditorium. Her oxygen bag was on the seat next to her, and she held a newsprint tablet on her lap. Evie caught Tori looking at her, and she smiled and waved. Tori gave her a small smile and a tiny wave in return.

The house lights went down, the stage lights went up, the five-person orchestra swelled into the opening strains of the overture for "An Afternoon to Remember," and they were off.

"Oh, Sister MacDougall," Beck's character, Father MacNeeley, said. "Won't you please reconsider? We'd so much like to have your inheritance for the orphanage. Please think of the orphans. They are starving."

Jade's character, the gruff nun, answered, "Father MacNeeley, you know that I would usually give the money to you in a heartbeat… but I have been convinced to give the money to a struggling pair of sisters. They are being hunted by the fierce Captain Samson, and my inheritance will help them get away from here. So they can be safe. So they can stay in love. Do you remember when you were young?"

Father MacNeeley thought about it. "I was young once, Sister MacDougall. I was in love once, before I gave my life to Christ." He turned away from Sister MacDougall. "I _remember_."

He turned back, and Tori marveled at how well Beck was doing maintaining his overly-emotional facial features. "But that past is no more. That past fell away so long ago. I am a man of God – I serve Him. I care for the widows, the children…"

"And the poor, Father MacNeeley – the Lord has commanded us to serve them as well! Please, allow me to give this inheritance to these sisters. They must get away from Captain Samson!"

"He is a good man," Beck said.

From somewhere in the orchestra pit there was a muffled squeak and then, clearly, "Fire!"

The cast members hurried onstage to see Sikowitz smacking his top hat, which, up until a few seconds ago, had been resting casually on his lap. Now it was slightly aflame, and he threw it to the ground in the orchestra pit.

Hailey Moscowitz appeared from the pit with the fire extinguisher. She aimed it at Sikowitz's top hat. There was a loud hissing noise and a blast of white foam. The assembled students saw Sikowitz disappear into the cloud of foam, only to reappear a few seconds later waving his hands and coughing.

It derailed the rehearsal, that was for certain. Cat popped up next to Tori. "I _hate_ dress rehearsals."


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning when Tori arrived, there was a cartoon posted on the wall near her lockers. It was a funny picture of Sikowitz, aflame. Tori laughed when she saw Evie's signature near the bottom.

She gathered her books and headed down to study hall, where the partners for the art-drama fusion were meeting for their final preparations. Tori had safely rescued her costumes from the house, away from Trina's grabby hands.

"Tori, I found you that sheep," Andre said as they headed into study hall. "I left it in Sikowitz's classroom. Last time I saw him he was playing the recorder for it."

"Does he know it's not real?"

"I figure I'll tell him when we show up for rehearsal."

Andre laughed.

Tori took a seat next to Evie. "I'm so excited for our performance," she said.

Evie looked up from her sketchbook. "Me too," she said. "It feels like everything's coming into place."

Tori opened her notebook to look at one of the scenes again. "I just need to remember the lines for that environmental scene. It wasn't one of my favorites."

"It was pretty weird," Evie agreed. "So, some of the art students were talking about what they're going to do with their artwork after Parents' Night. Ms. Santiago wants to display some of them, but I was thinking we could do something else with ours."

"Oh, yeah? What did you have in mind?"

Evie put down her pen and looked over at Tori, squaring her shoulders. "I'd like to auction them off for the local cystic fibrosis foundation. They're having a silent auction to benefit CF research. I've been invited to speak, but I was thinking it'd be nice to have something else to bring to the thing. And I'd like you to come with me. You could be my plus one."

"Wow," Tori said.

"Wow to which part? The plus one? 'Cause that's not the weird part. Two years ago I took my cousin Marco. It doesn't really mean anything."

"No, I meant the part about the auction. That's a really good idea."

"Oh, you think? Awesome. I was hoping you wouldn't mind." Evie beamed. "It's fancy dress, is that okay?"

"Fine with me," Tori said. "Most of my fancy dresses are here anyway. I'm trying to keep them away from Trina."

At that moment, Sikowitz entered the classroom with a large stuffed sheep under his arm, playing a jaunty melody on his recorder. When he obviously had the attention of everyone in the room, he called broadly, "Who hath left this beast in my-eth… classroom-eth?"

Slowly Andre raised his hand.

"Does this woolly-haired menace belong to _thou_?" Sikowitz asked.

"Um, yeah," Andre said. "But I was loaning it to Tori for her art-drama fusion."

"Ah! Well, come, my good sheep-herder, reclaim your lost sheep to the flock," Sikowitz said. "I must away to a faculty meeting, and I don't want him to be lonely."

"Of course not," Andre said, managing to keep a straight face. He slid out of his seat and headed to the door, where he collected the stuffed animal from Sikowitz. "Um, thanks for keeping an eye on him. I, uh, think he really enjoys recorder music."

"Who doesn't?" Sikowitz exclaimed rhetorically. "Make sure you keep him safe – I wouldn't want to have to give a _ewe_-logy."

And with that, the teacher swept out of the room.

"That was even worse than the joke he made about im-_prop_-er handling of props," Tori said.

"But that one wasn't accompanied by a recorder solo," Andre pointed out.

After Sikowitz's departure, the study hall quieted down considerably. Tori looked over her math assignment and sighed. "I wish we could just dance about math," she said. "It'd be easier. So, when's this fund-raiser?"

"It's a week after Parents' Night," Evie said. "On a Thursday evening. You can ride with us – we all go, even Jade. It's one of the only nights of the year she smiles the whole time."

"What's the other one – Halloween?"

The girls both laughed.

"Yeah, that, and whatever night she meets with her coven," Evie added, causing them to break into giggles again.

At last they stopped laughing, and Tori rested her head on her hand. "Ugh, I guess I better get back to math. I can't wait until Parents' Night is over, because it's totally putting a crimp in my social activities. The play, our fusion project… it's like two extra classes and they've all got songs and dances."

"Well, then maybe it's a good thing you don't have to dance about math," Evie said. "And really, that's a good thing. Who knows what a quadratic equation would look like in tap shoes?"

At last it was Parents' Night. Tori did a final check of her room for props, scripts, and the makeup she'd be using for the art-drama fusion. Downstairs Trina was whining about something; Tori could hear her nasal voice wind up the stairs.

"Tori, are you ready?" her mother called up the stairs. "We're just abobut ready to go!"

"Be right there, Mom!"

It was a quick drive to Hollywood Arts, and as soon as they were parked, Tori jumped out of the car and hurried into the 2-D art wing, where she and Evie had planned to meet.

She passed Beck on the way in; he was wearing a billowy robe and a red sash.

"Hey, Beck," Tori said. "Or… should I say, Mr. Jesus?"

"Don't even start," Beck said.

"My spider sense suggests that Claire Lathrop had a lot to do with that outfit."

"Your spider sense would be completely correct," Beck said.

"Has Jade seen you in this? Her in her nun's outfit and you… as Jesus… it'd be perfect."

"I'm not Jesus," Beck protested. "I'm… I'm… Jesus' best friend."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and now I have to go apply my eyeliner," Beck said. "Because according to Claire, Jesus would have won a lot more converts if he'd had a little definition in the eye area."

"I think that might be sacrilegious," Tori said.

"I'll take it up with God after our performance," Beck said, and hurried out.

From one of the art rooms Tori heard a hacking cough, followed by, "Jade! Just get _out_ of here!"

"And that's my cue," Tori said to no one.

She stuck her head into the 2-D art room. "Hey, guys," she said.

Jade and Evie were in the middle of the room. Jade sat on Ms. Santiago's desk, wearing a raspberry-colored leotard, pink tights, a black dance skirt, and ballet slippers. Evie was standing next to a rolling cart filled with identical jars of paint. The jars looked like something that had come from Harry Potter's potions class, and each had a thick-handled brush sticking out of them.

"Oh, hi, Tori," Evie said, and she coughed again.

"At least do your inhalers and turn up your oxygen," Jade said. Her tone was the closest Tori had ever heard her come to pleading or wheedling.

"I will, I will," Evie said. "I just have to finish getting the colors ready."

"If I do that, will you please just do what I ask you?"

"You can't get near the paint – you've already got your costume on," Evie pointed out.

"Tori could do it," Jade said.

Evie looked over at Tori, who had not yet donned her first costume and was still in the jeans and T-shirt she'd worn to school that day. "Yeah, okay," Evie agreed finally.

She directed Tori to a Xerox box on one of the desks, which happened to be filled with more of the same glass jars. On another desk was a line of paint jugs, each with Evie's name written on them. Following instructions, Tori carefully filled each of the Harry Potter jars with the colors Evie would use during their performance.

While she was doing that, Evie used her three inhalers and cranked up the concentration of oxygen flowing through the tubes that ran under her nose. "Okay?" she asked, turning to Jade.

Jade slipped off the desk and looked Evie over critically. Jade gently reached up and finger-curled some of Evie's flyaway hair behind her ears. "Yeah, okay," Jade said. "Get a drink of water before you go out there."

"But what about the vodka I have in my water bottle?" Evie asked, straight-faced, holding up the purple plastic bottle.

"You are not funny," Jade said.

Duncan Sundquist stuck his head into the room. "Um, Jade, I thought we could, um…"

"I'm _coming_, Duncan," Jade said. To Evie, she said, "Give 'em hell."

"It's just a series of paintings."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah, I do," Evie said, and gave Jade a smile.

Tori capped the last jug of paint and put the final jar on the cart. "I think we're good to go," she said, grabbing a handful of paintbrushes from the desk.

"Then let's rock it," Evie said, and grinned at Tori.

"Parents' Night, here we come," Tori said as they headed out. She pushed the cart and Evie followed behind with a canvas. "Hey, Evie, have you seen Beck yet?"

"No, why?"

"Well, let's just say that I think his performance will be a… _religious_ experience."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I apologize to my faithful readers who have been waiting so long for a new chapter. I've had a lot of stuff going on lately, including health problems and a lot of schoolwork. But I've always been excited to get back to this story, so thanks for being patient. Enjoy!**

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Parents' Night at Hollywood Arts had always been sort of a mixed bag. There were usually a few stand-out performances – one year it had been a cello duel, another year it was a group of "ethnic mimes" – but for the most part, year after year, it was ensembles of musicians or stage performers, followed by a big musical, followed by a walk through a visual arts show. It was only this year, when Sikowitz and Miss Santiago had changed the format that anyone realized how dull and flat Parents' Night had been.

Sikowitz was onstage to introduce the first art-drama fusion group – Andre and Patrick Evans. The teacher was wearing a striped button-down and a pair of loose-fitting orange trousers. He also had a brightly colored silk scarf tied around his neck jauntily. In his hand he had a stack of index cards prepared by the performers; he would read them to give the audience a little information about the performers' ideas for the fusion.

"Up first we have Andre Harris and Patrick Evans," Sikowitz said. "These two intrepid young scholars were inspired by the Pottery of Many Nations exhibits at the Hooper Museum. They have chosen to present their passion for pottery through the following dialogue. Ladies and gentlemen, Andre and Patrick!"

There was a loud round of applause from the parents seated in the auditorium. Tori, standing in the wings, could see Patrick and Andre in their places behind the closed curtains. They were wearing some of Patrick's Guatemalan clothing, and both boys looked pretty sharp. Andre stood to stage left, while Patrick sat at stage right behind a pottery wheel, a bucket of clay to his right and a small plastic shelving unit to his left.

The curtains parted to reveal both guys, and there was another round of applause.

"Hey, Andre!" Patrick said brightly.

"Oh, hey, Patrick," Andre said, sounding a little glum.

"What's the matter, my friend?"

"I'm just having a hard time with this assignment for Social Studies," Andre said, holding up a copy of the Social Studies textbook. "I think I'm going to fail."

"Man, that's rough. What's the assignment?"

"I have to learn about the indigenous peoples of South America and their arts," Andre said. He flipped open the textbook and held it up to show the audience. He had doctored the pages to show large question marks.

"Well, no worries, my friend!" Patrick said. "I've got the perfect way to help you!"

"Really?" Andre asked with false hope. "Oh, man that would be sweet!"

"Let's get started!" Patrick grabbed a hunk of clay out of the bucket and started the pottery wheel spinning. "Okay, what's the first country?"

"Guatemala."

"Sensational! Guatemala starts with a g – and here's what you can learn about their arts – their pottery was often shaped like gourds!" Patrick spun the hunk of clay on the wheel and pinched it into a gourd shape. "See?"

The two went on for fifteen minutes, with Andre naming South American countries and Patrick spinning small pots. When they finished, there was a row of bright red clay pots on the shelving unit. Patrick and Andre took their bows to a vigorous round of applause.

The rest of the fusions went on in much the same manner. Jade and Duncan Sundquist presented their dance-and-spin-art act. Beck and Claire Lathrop performed a rousing series of "movement arts" to the tune of recited Psalms. There was a pair who moved furniture and rearranged magnets on a white board. Cat and her partner used their skills to act out the steps used for baking muffins.

Finally it was time for Tori and Evie to present their fusion. Miss Santiago came backstage to help Evie move the large canvases out to the stage. Tori followed behind with the cart of paint jars. She had changed into her first costume, the one from the 1920's play. She took her spot on the stage as Miss Santiago and Evie prepared the paints and canvases.

When the pair was ready, Miss Santiago slipped outside the curtains and read their index card: "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce Tori Vega and Evie West. They were inspired by the art-to-drama fusion at the Hooper Museum, and have chosen to reverse that idea to present a drama-to-art fusion. Their performance will encompass many of the performances from here at Hollywood Arts, so you may remember some parts. And now, Tori and Evie."

The curtains parted, and there was Tori in her dress, and Evie on her painting stool.

Tori took a deep breath. "Dear Arnold, I know you wanted us to take a ship to meet your mother, but I cannot acquiesce. I am too scared of ship travel, and I fear that such a large ship would only increase this fear. It does not do my heart good to know that we shall be apart for such a juncture – indeed, I would rather have you here, with me, my love."

On the other side of the stage, Evie took up one of the jars of paint, a gray-blue, and began to limn out a boat shape.

"It has been many weeks since we have been parted, and it is my only wish that you may return to me in time for my birthday."

Evie grabbed another brush, this one a watery pink color, and painted an abstract birthday cake shape in the other corner of the canvas.

"I apologize that I could not travel with you. My heart will be weary as you are gone. Please return to me safely, my love, it is all I desire."

Evie painted a big bright heart in red.

Tori paused and looked down to the ground dramatically before continuing. "Dear Arnold, it is only now that I have heard the news of the ship Titanic – she has run aground of an iceberg and you were tragically her passenger. This letter I will never be able to mail to you, my love, because you are at the bottom of the ocean. I fear you have taken my heart with you."

Evie took up a jar of yellow and began adding small windows of light to the large boat shape. She picked up the jar of black and painted an iceberg at the far right of the canvas, smashing into the boat shape's prow.

"Dearest Arnold, tell me only one thing – was it the threat of losing my love that drove you to take the earlier ship home? I will never know the answer and I will never be satisfied with my thoughts, because there I feel that I could have stopped you. I could have changed your mind. But I will never know."

Evie painted a shimmery question mark in silver paint, and the light went down on Tori. Miss Santiago appeared from the wings to help Evie get the big canvas off the stage while Tori scrambled into her next costume – a rainbow tie-dyed union suit, for the environmental monologue.

The lights came back up, and there was a moment of awkward laughter as the audience realized Tori was standing onstage in what basically amounted to a pair of pajamas. Then she spoke: "The name the establishment gave me was Susan Anderson, but I won't answer to that anymore. Those who wish to reach me may call me by my true name – Wind Spirit."

Evie began to paint trees in a very Bob Ross sort of way; they seemed to spring up out of nowhere. She added a river, and some clouds, and boulders in the river.

"I have left behind what some would call a successful life. I am no longer a corporate drone in a government pencil-pushing facility, or a wife stuck in the suburbs."

On the other side of the canvas Evie painted a small yellow house and a tall gray skyscraper. In between the urban scene and the rural scene she painted a dirt road.

"Now I make my home in the trees. My co-workers are the deer and the rabbits, my family the birds and the sunshine. Instead of dedicating my life to money and the chase of success, I have made it my life's work to protect this forest."

Evie painted bright yellow earth-moving equipment and what looked like a crowd of picketers with signs.

"I am not unhappy, I am not alone. I hear my name in every breeze and I know I am doing what is right, what is just."

Evie quickly painted a rainbow-clothed figure near the base of one of the tallest trees.

"Some say that I am crazy, that I should go back to my home, to my husband and children, to my job."

Evie drew a man and some children with blurred faces.

"But they can speak for themselves – and the forest cannot."

The lights went down again. Miss Santiago bounded up to help Evie move the canvas and Tori quickly threw on her "Mary Poppins"-esque outfit from "An Afternoon to Remember."

Somehow they got through the final two scenes, with Evie's painting and Tori's recitation. The sheep got a big laugh from the audience, just as Tori had predicted. She saw Andre in the audience beaming at the sheep, leaning over to tell Patrick, "That's _my_ sheep up there!"

Sikowitz and Miss Santiago appeared onstage as soon as Evie and Tori had finished. "There will be a short intermission while we prepare for our feature presentation," Miss Santiago announced.

"There are beverages and food items available for sale in the lobby," Sikowitz added.

"All sales support the Hollywood Arts Booster Club," Miss Santiago said.

"Please, go and buy things!" Sikowitz urged.

"The cast and orchestra for 'An Afternoon to Remember' should meet in the green room backstage once they have located their costumes, props, or instruments," Miss Santiago said. "Tech crew and scene crew will be meeting stage left."

"We thank you for your dedicated attendance and appreciation of our Parents' Night," Sikowitz said.

Santiago and Sikowitz bowed with flourishes, and the curtains closed.

"You guys were awesome," Andre said as he bounded backstage. He clapped Tori on the back, hurrying off to the men's dressing room.

In the ladies' dressing room, Tori yanked off her amazing Technicolor dream coat and hung it on a rack. "I wish we'd done Joseph before the Afternoon sketch, so I'd be in the right costume," she grumbled.

The door banged open and Jade appeared, already dressed in her nun's costume. "Where's Evie?" she barked at Tori.

"I don't know," Tori said. "I got swept up in the massive crew pileup backstage."

Jade frowned, and swept through the dressing room and into the attached bathroom. "Evie?" she called.

The door to the dressing room opened and closed as the cast of "An Afternoon to Remember" went in and out, searching for props, putting on their costumes, and applying makeup in front of the mirrors. Tori managed to get back into her uncomfortable gray dress and black overcoat before Cat came in, squealing and in a panic about a missing hat.

"It's on the rack over there," Tori said to Cat.

"Oh, good!" Cat exclaimed. "Oh, gotta pee!"

She banged through the door to the bathroom. A second later a scream resonated through the room.

"Cat? Your hat's still out here," Tori said.

The door swung open again and Cat reappeared, looking ashen and shaken.

"What's the deal?" Tori asked. "Your hat's right there."

From inside the bathroom came Jade's voice, a little shaky but still confident and snotty: "Vega, call 911."

"The hat's right here," Tori said, still not understanding what the problem was.

"Don't be a moron," Jade's voice said, now a lot shakier. "My sister passed out, and unless you want Sikowitz in here doing that mouth-to-mouth he's so damn proud of, we might as well get some professionals."

Tori leapt out of her seat, grabbing her purse from the table. The makeup stool went over with a clatter as she rushed into the bathroom.

Evie was sprawled on the floor in one of the stalls. Her oxygen bag was next to her and Jade was rapidly adjusting the dial on the top, having already replaced the thin cannula with a larger mask. Evie's lips were a bluish-gray color, and Tori couldn't help but think of the color of the painted Titanic on their canvas.

"Is she…?" Tori asked, not really knowing what she was trying to ask.

"She's still hanging in there," Jade said, ripping off her nun's wimple. "It's a good thing she's so damn stubborn."

Tori pulled her phone from her bag and hurriedly punched in the magic digits – 9-1-1. Somehow she managed to give the operator the information they needed. Her eyes stayed locked on Evie's gray-blue lips, on the tiny blue veins in Evie's eyelids, in the gaspy breaths that jerked Evie's chest, and on Jade, diligently watching over her sister.

It seemed an eternity before they heard the sirens and footsteps and shouting, but in that eternity there was an unspoken bond between Tori and Jade, a sense that there was something happening that was bigger than the both of them.

Everything that mattered was right there, between them, crumpled on the hideous orange bathroom floor tile, taking little tiny gaspy breaths.


	13. Chapter 13

Jade clung tight to Beck's hand as they sat in the waiting room. She hadn't been able to bring her head up; it rested on her knees. Beck was rubbing her back. Next to them, Annie was pacing back and forth in a tight line.

The door at the end of the hallway swung open and Kent came towards them. He took Annie by the hand and led her over to a seat, sitting down next to her. "Jadey," he said.

Jade finally raised her head.

"They took her down to the OR about five minutes ago," Kent said. "They're going to go in and flush her out, do a bronch like they usually do. They're going to let her rest on the vent. She's just very tired. They'd like her to stay for a little while, but they think she's going to pull through like always."

To Annie, he said, "They were talking about putting in another central line. I told them that was her decision, so they'll have to wait until she wakes up a bit more."

"She didn't want a line," Annie said, gripping Kent's hand.

"They said they wouldn't force the idea," Kent said. "She's old enough to make her own decisions about this."

He looked over at Jade, rubbing his thumb over Annie's fingers. "They asked me if I thought she was ready to talk about transplant."

"Dad, no," Jade said in a strangled voice.

"Jadey, I know we don't talk about it much, but it's become an option. At some point it might be our only option."

"But it's not right now," Jade said fiercely.

"I know. And there's no guarantee they'd be able to find her a donor even if she does get listed. There's no harm in going through the listing process, or just talking about it."

"But… it's like giving up, Dad!"

"Giving up? Is that what you think?" Annie asked, turning to look at Jade. "How is it giving up?"

Jade fell silent, unable to fully express how she felt.

"I think Jade might feel that way because it's such a big thing," Beck said quietly. "And maybe 'giving up' isn't quite the right term for it."

"If she gets listed, she's going to spend her time waiting and waiting and waiting," Jade said. "And what if there never are any lungs? She'll have wasted all that time when she could have been out doing whatever she wants to do, instead of just _waiting."_

"Honey, it's not like she has to stay in the hospital the whole time," Annie said. "They'll give her a beeper and she can go to school and do all the things she usually does."

"We don't have to talk about it now," Kent said. "In fact, it might be better if we don't talk about it now, because it's been a very trying evening for all of us. But Jadey – if Evie asks you about this, I want you to be positive about it. It's her decision to get listed, and I don't want you to say anything negative about it."

He put his arm around Jade. "Honey, Evie's not stupid. She knows as well as the rest of us do that she's been on a slide lately. Let's just focus on getting her through this tune-up, and let Evie tell us where she wants to go from here, okay?"

Jade mumbled something that could have been assent.

Two hours later a doctor in blue scrubs appeared and walked directly over to Kent. "Mr. West, I'm Dr. Hastings. I wanted to come and let you know that your daughter's out of surgery and she'll be up in her room in about ten minutes. You or any other family member can come and see her then. The charge nurse can tell you which room, but she'll be in the PICU."

"Thank you," Kent said, shifting upright in his seat. Annie was asleep on his shoulder, with his coat over her. "We know exactly where that is. Um, how did everything go?"

"Things went as well as could be expected," the doctor replied. "I'm sure you hear this often, but your daughter's a fighter, Mr. West."

Kent smiled. "Yes, I happen to think so too."

"We were able to get a great deal of mucus out of her lungs. We sent all of that off for testing to see if she needs any antibiotic treatment at this time. We had to leave her on the ventilator for now, but I'd estimate that in two days or so she should be back to breathing on her own. Did Dr. Clarence mention that he'd like to put in a central line?"

"Yes, he did," Kent said. "And I told him it's Evie's decision. There's no need to have that discussion right now. She can make up her mind when she's awake."

Dr. Hastings nodded. "That's just fine. Like I said, she'll be up in the PICU in ten minutes or so."

"Thank you, Doctor," Kent said.

Dr. Hastings gave them a nod and headed off down the corridor.

Kent turned to look at Beck and Jade. Jade was snuggled up next to Beck, and both teenagers looked exhausted. "Jadey, why don't you go up and see Evie and say goodnight, and then Beck can take you home?"

"No, I want to stay," Jade protested.

"Jadey," Kent said. "You have school in the morning."

"Dad…"

"Please don't fight me on this," Kent said.

Jade scowled, but stood up and picked up her bag. "Okay, fine."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"I'll wait here," Beck said.

"Okay."

As she rode up to the fifth floor, the pediatric intensive care unit, Jade studied the other occupants of the elevator. Did she look as tired as they did? What were they thinking? Were they going to lose someone? Was she going to lose Evie?

At the reception desk on the fifth floor, the nurse pointed towards Room 502. "Her nurse tonight is Amber," the charge nurse said.

"Thanks," Jade said, wondering if Amber was a nurse Evie'd had before, and if so, if Amber was one Evie had liked.

In Room 502 Evie lay in a hospital bed, wearing a gown, tucked beneath several blankets. Jade had to smile at that – Evie was perpetually cold and loved nothing more than gigantic piles of blankets. The bed was ringed with a forest of medical equipment. Jade recognized a ventilator, the heart rate monitor, and IV pumps. The rest were mysteries, but obviously essential.

Jade set her bag on the visitor's chair next to the bed and leaned over her sister's bed. "Hey, Evie," she said. "Brought you something."

In the moments after Evie and Annie had left in the ambulance, Kent and Jade had conferred about what to do next. Kent had gone straight to the hospital, while Jade went to the West home with Beck to get the things she knew Evie liked to have during a hospital stay.

Now she took out Evie's worn Kermit the Frog and tucked it under the covers so that it looked like Kermit was sleeping right next to her sister. From another pocket of her bag she took out a series of photos – Evie as she usually was, to show the nurses and doctors who was really laying in the bed; Evie and Jade; Tori and Evie preparing for Parents Night; Jade and Beck; Annie and Kent. With a roll of Scotch tape Jade affixed them to the wall at the head of the bed. "There, that's better, huh?"

She brushed one hand over Evie's forehead. "You were awesome tonight," she informed Evie. "Everybody said so. And Tori… she was pretty good too."

"She can't hear you," a voice said from behind Jade, and Jade turned to see a nurse in pink scrubs adjusting one of the IV pumps.

Jade shot the woman a dirty look. She had enough experience with Evie to know that sometimes things transcended medical knowledge. "I don't think anyone can know that for sure," Jade said frostily. Turning back to Evie, she wiped a little gunk from around the smaller girl's breathing tube, and then leaned in and whispered, "Sleep tight, Gooey Lungs. Beck and I will be back tomorrow just as soon as we get through the school day, so you better be upright and social, okay?"

She kissed Evie on the cheek and straightened up, grabbing her bag from the chair. The nurse was still standing in the doorway, looking at her.

Jade was about to pass the nurse without comment, but something stopped her. "So, listen," Jade said. "I realize that this is just a job for you, but this is my only sister. She's the only one I've got. And she's not just some vegetable in a bed – she's a talented artist, she's gorgeous, and she loves to make jokes. She's fought worse stuff than this and she somehow keeps going. She's outlived all medical expectations and she's going to continue doing so. She is an actual person. She deserves to hear people say nice things in her presence, not just make statements that may or may not be true. If you can't treat her positively and with a good attitude, then you had better just get yourself reassigned to another patient. Evie won't say anything to you about how you treat her, but that's because she's way too nice. Me, on the other hand? Well, let's just say that I'm not so nice. And I have a way of making people's lives miserable."

The nurse gave Jade an up and down.

"And I'll be back tomorrow."

With that, Jade strode out of the ICU room, boot heels clicking on the tile floor.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: The song Jade sings near the end of the chapter was written by one of my good friends, Christine. It's called "Almost There." She's amazingly talented and I thought her song perfectly expressed the emotions I was looking for. For more of her songs, please check out her YouTube account: eastfarthing1420. Thanks!**

* * *

When Jade entered Sikowitz's classroom the next morning, she was immediately jumped upon by Cat. "Jade!" Cat squealed, and threw her arms around her friend.

Jade awkwardly reeled from the hug collision, and tried not to get too much of Cat's hair in her mouth. "Easy, easy," she said, patting Cat on the back.

"How's Evie?" Cat asked, looking up at Jade with big sad eyes.

"Still smarter than you," Jade replied, and then flashed Cat a smile to show she was kidding.

"Oh, good," Cat said, as though she'd been worried. "I got her something, for you to give to her, okay?"

"Okay, sure," Jade said, although she wasn't quite sure if she wanted whatever Cat would give her. During one of Evie's stays in the hospital Cat had baked six dozen muffins and bought forty tubes of lip gloss. Most of the muffins had ended up as breakfast for a group of seagulls, and the West family would never need any lip protection ever again.

"Robbie's got it," Cat said. "ROBBIE!"

Robbie stumbled through the door, carrying a gigantic basket. The basket was festively gift-wrapped and topped off by a bright red ribbon bow. "Here," Robbie wheezed, setting the basket on a chair. "Got to go… get Rex. Left him… in the hallway."

With that, he stumbled back out.

"Oh my God, Cat, what…?" Jade couldn't even think of a question to ask regarding the basket. "It's huge!"

"I know, right?" Cat beamed.

"What's… what's in it? It's not lip gloss, right?"

"No, silly," Cat said. "Don't you have enough of that?"

Jade merely rolled her eyes.

"It's only the best dessert known to man!" Cat barged on, flinging her arms out wide.

"Sugar-free Jell-O?"

"_Jade_, no," Cat wailed. "_Shortbread_."

"You got my sister a basket full of shortbread?"

"All different flavors! There's the ever-popular original flavor, but there's also cinnamon, and chocolate, and rum cake, and raspberry gelato, and…"

"There's shortbread flavored like raspberry gelato?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"Why wouldn't you just have some raspberry gelato?" Jade was really confused.

"Because it's not shortbread," Cat said, as though that explained everything.

Tori came in. "Um, guys, Robbie's passed out on the hallway floor. Rex says he's fine, but…"

"The puppet knows his stuff," Beck said.

"Um, Cat, wow," Tori said.

"Isn't it a fabulous basket?" Cat asked, grinning.

"It… it certainly is," Tori replied. "So, Jade, I got your sister something."

"Tell me it's not a basket of shortbread."

"It's not a basket of shortbread," Tori repeated. "Why? Is that what _that_ basket is?"

"All flavors!" Cat announced delightedly.

"There's more than one flavor?"

"Could we please stop talking about shortbread?" Jade interrupted irritably. "What junk did you get for my sister, Vega?"

Tori hunted around in her backpack and pulled out a DVD in a clear plastic jewel case. "Andre and Sinjin helped me," she said. "It's last night's performances. I thought it might cheer Evie up."

Jade had to admit, it wasn't a bad idea. "Well, thanks," she said, snatching the DVD case from Tori and stuffing it into her bag.

Sikowitz entered the room through the window, as he had been doing of late, and struck a pose on the little stage at the front of the room. Then he clapped his hands and bellowed: "Take your seats!"

Surprised by his sudden entrance, the students quickly hurried to pick chairs.

"Cat!" Sikowitz said. "What is that gigantic ugly basket?"

"Ugly? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It looks like a bow factory threw up on your basket," Andre said helpfully.

"That's… that's not even possible!" Cat retorted.

Sikowitz had been doing a head count. "Where's Robbie?"

"Hallway," several students said at once.

"Well, then he's going to miss out. Drive-by acting exercise – you're all doctors delivering bad news!"

From there class passed quickly. Sikowitz made no remarks about the canceled performance of "An Afternoon to Remember." After going through some improv exercises, Sikowitz assigned Chapter Five of their textbook, and ducked out the window just before the bell rang.

Tori waited until Jade had handed the gigantic basket to Beck before she approached the duo. "Um, hi."

Jade gave her a suspicious look. "Yes?"

"Um, I just wanted to know if… if Evie was having visitors."

There was a pause, in which Jade thought but did not say several mean things. She gave Tori an up and down glance, and then said merely, "Yeah. Visiting hours are three until seven. She's at Greer Children's down in Ridgedale. In the PICU. Room 502."

"Okay," Tori said. "Thanks."

Jade pursed her lips. "You're welcome."

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Jade. History, Geometry, Salsa Dancing, followed by a lackluster lunch of fish sticks and green beans. Afterward a short stint in Study Hall, where she tried to surf the Internet in the library, but she kept getting distracted. Words slid past her eyes… _50% five-year survival rate post-transplant… diabetes… lowered oxygenation saturation…_

She angrily clicked off the Mayo Clinic home page. From behind her, she heard Beck's voice. "Stop torturing yourself," he said quietly.

"I just…"

"Shhh," he said, and sat down next to her.

"I don't want her to die, Beck," Jade said.

He put his arms around her. "I know that. And what's even better, Evie knows that."

Jade leaned into Beck's embrace. He stroked her hair, and she allowed herself to cry. "She's just fought so hard," Jade whimpered. "What happens if she gives up?"

Beck was quiet for a moment, and then he said, "If there's one thing I know about the West women, well, it's that they have a strange obsession with fun-sized candy bars."

He felt Jade snort a laugh into his shoulder.

"And if there's another thing I know," Beck continued, "it's that they're obnoxiously stubborn. They're not the sort to give up in the middle of the battle. I mean, usually they're the ones _starting_ the battle, but they're also the ones who see it through to the end."

Jade leaned back from him and sniffled, wiping her nose with the end of her sleeve even though she knew it was gross. "I just want Evie to know that I'm so damn proud of everything she does."

Beck gently tucked Jade's hair behind her ears. "Well, then maybe you should _tell_ her that."

Jade tilted her head and looked at him as though she'd never seen him. Then she snapped her fingers and a smile flitted across her face. "You're absolutely brilliant, you know that?"

She kissed him soundly on the lips, and then grabbed her bag and hurried out of the library.

"So then Sikowitz came in the window," Tori said to Evie.

In the hospital bed, Evie followed the conversation with her eyes bright. She was still connected to the ventilator through an endotracheal tube taped to her mouth, so her end of the conversation was silent. But she was wearing a clean hospital gown, someone had pulled her hair back from her face in a neat ponytail, there was a brightly-colored quilt spread over her legs, and a Kermit the Frog lay in the bed next to her.

"He's been doing it a lot lately," Tori went on. "He says it makes him seem spontaneous, but I think it really means he's crazy."

There was a knock at the door, and Beck entered, pulling a red wagon behind him. In it was the gigantic basket of shortbread. "Hey, Evie-kins," he said. "Look what Cat got you."

Evie's eyes went wide.

"I know, it's a little ostentatious," Beck said. "But her heart's in the right place."

Jade was right behind him, carrying her school bag and a laptop case. She stopped short when she saw Tori. "Oh."

"Three to seven, right?" Tori asked.

"Um, yeah," Jade said.

"Can we crack this open, Evie?" Beck asked, gesturing to the basket of shortbread. "For some reason I have an extreme desire to know what raspberry gelato-flavored shortbread would taste like."

Evie stretched out a hand and tapped a card taped to the top of her over-bed table. It had a bright yellow smiley face on it and the word "YES!" in bold print. The card taped next to it had a red X on it, with the word "NO" below it.

"Well, good," Beck said.

He pulled at the biggest bow on the top of the basket. "Let's see… how does this work?"

"If Cat wrapped it we'll be here until next Thanksgiving," Jade said. "The girl has a serious problem with adhesives and ribbon."

She took out an AC adapter and unspooled the cord, plugging it into a wall socket. "It started at the beginning of high school – Cat's therapist told her mom to find Cat an activity to keep her busy, so her mom took her to a Wilson cake-baking and decorating class… and Cat got kicked out for eating all the cake. So then her mom took her to a present-wrapping class. And Cat got way too good at it."

"She makes us look like fools when we give her birthday presents," Beck added. He tugged on the bow. It held firm.

Jade removed her laptop from the case and set it up on one of the visitor's chairs. "Just cut it open."

"And ruin the pretty packaging?"

Jade yanked her cell phone from her pocket, opened it, brought up the camera, snapped a picture of the basket, and put her phone back in her pocket. "There. Now it will live on in our memories."

She rummaged around in her school bag and handed Beck a pair of scissors.

"Sometimes it alarms me, the casual way you carry around blades," Beck said, poking the sharp ends of the scissors into the shiny gold wrapping paper enclosing the basket. "Although I have to say, the scissors are a little less distressing than the six-inch machete you brought to your grandmother's nursing home at Thanksgiving."

"What can I say? Nana knows her cutlery." Jade turned back to Evie. "Has Mom been here today?"

Evie put her finger on the "yes" card.

"Is she coming back?"

Evie slid her finger over to "no."

Jade looked at Evie, confused. "Weird."

Beck yanked off the sheet of gold wrapping paper, and several bows flopped to the floor. "Evie, is it because she's still here in the hospital?"

Evie slid her finger back to "yes."

"Wow, look at all that shortbread," Tori said, looking down at the basket. "There are flavors in there I've never even _heard_ of."

"There's the ever-popular regular flavor," Beck said, rummaging through the basket. "As well as chocolate, cinnamon, the raspberry gelato Cat was going on about… coffee… this one says rum cake but that sounds disgusting. Cherry almond… yuck…"

He plucked out the raspberry gelato packet of shortbread and held it up to Evie. "Is it okay if I try some of this? I have to admit that I've been thinking about it since Cat mentioned it in first period."

Evie put her finger on the "yes" card.

Beck opened the packet and took out a shockingly pink shortbread wafer. He offered the packet to Tori. She accepted a wafer and took a bite. She and Beck chewed for a few seconds.

"I don't like it," Tori said.

"Me neither," Beck said. "It's like all the promise of raspberry gelato with the bready aftertaste of shortbread."

Jade leaned over and took one of the shortbread cookies. She ate it, looking thoughtful. "It's all right," she said after a moment. "But only if raspberry gelato's not available."

She ate the rest of the cookie and said to Evie, "When you're off the vent, I promise I'll bring gelato."

Evie tapped her finger on the "yes" card.

"Or we'll go out to Bella Fina," Beck said, putting the packet of shortbread back into the basket. "For Cat's birthday."

"Oh, yeah, we forgot to tell her that's where she's having her birthday party," Jade said.

"I don't think she'll care," Beck said. "Ever since she lost all her tickets to a kid who punched her in the knee, Chuck E. Cheese has been her least favorite place."

Evie gave Beck a thumbs-up.

Jade sighed, and said, "Well, I hate to ask you to do this, but Beck, go take a walk with Tori."

"Why do you hate to ask him that?" Tori asked suspiciously.

Jade just gave Tori a half-smile. "Keep your hands and lips off him."

"I'll just walk her to her car," Beck suggested.

Tori stood up and put her back over her shoulder. "I'll talk to you later, Evie. Can I text you?"

Evie put her finger on the "yes" card.

Beck put his jacket over the back of the chair. "I'll be back in a bit. I'll see if I can find your mom, too."

"She's probably down in the cafeteria," Jade said. "She loves their Jell-O."

As Beck and Tori left the room, Jade picked up her laptop and set it on Evie's table. "Sorry about blocking your talking cards, but I have something for you."

She sat down on the end of Evie's bed. "Today… I was just worried sick about you. It was so scary last night. I mean, I thought I'd gotten used to all the possibilities of our wacky life, but… I guess it occurred to me that I'm not."

She ran her hands through her hair. "I know I try to be mean and hard-shelled and aloof, but… that isn't who I am. The real me is terrified and screaming and tiny and powerless."

She sighed. "And Beck reminded me that I don't often tell you how much you mean to me, and how amazing I think you are. So… I skipped out of English class and pulled Andre out of his ballet class, and I came up with this."

Jade leaned over the laptop and fiddled with the screen. A few seconds later a video of Andre sitting at a piano popped up. Andre waved. "Hi, Evie!" he said. "I hope you're feeling better. And I hope you like this song, because I'm getting an F in ballet for today."

From off-screen came Jade's voice: "Yeah, yeah, stop with the niceties and play."

Evie smiled around the ET tube.

Andre began to play a simple piano melody. The camera tilted towards the piano, and to Jade, standing next to it. As the introduction ended, the video-Jade opened her mouth and sang, "_I am a wanderer, I am a hand upon a wardrobe door, I am a knob-turner, I am a footstep on a wooden floor, The air is colder here, but something tells me walk a little further – you are almost there."_

The song broke into a rich melody and harmony, and the Jade on the screen smiled and kept singing. "_You are a wonderer, you are a hand upon a yellowed page, you are a word-stirrer, you are a whisper of the ancient days, The air is sweeter here, and something tells you read a little farther, you are getting there."_

"_We'll push through doors of snow, and there will be unbroken promised lands, And we will see the green green hills, and hold the breathing sunshine in our hands, We are imaginers, impossible catastrophers, but hope will satisfy us in the end."_

Evie watched her sister on the screen, singing as beautifully as she'd ever heard, the words lovely and round. A tear trickled down her face, and Jade leaned over to brush it away.

"… _something tells us breathe a little harder – you will make it there."_

Evie wanted to speak around the ET tube, but she settled for tapping the "yes" card over and over.

"… _we are incomplete, we're wandering a narrow street – but hope will welcome us home in the end."_

The song ended and Andre reached up to switch off the camera. In real life, Jade leaned over and hit "stop" on the video player. She took Evie's hands in her own. "You are beautiful, you are amazing. I could never be as brave as you or as strong as you. I can't imagine how you get up every day and face all the things you face, and you're still nice and generous and hilarious. If it was me I'd be punching people left and right."

Jade took a deep breath and went on. "And sometimes I wish I could just… take all this stuff away from you. No more treatments or tubes or anything. But I know I can't. I can't make any of this easier for you. I can't do what I want to do the most – save your life."

She reached up to wipe tears out of her own eyes. "Last night Dad started talking about transplant again. And I don't want to go into it all now, but I wanted you to know that… whatever decision you make, I'll support you."

Evie tilted her head and gave Jade as much of a smile as she could with the ET tube taped to her lips. She raised her hands from Jade's and mimed writing.

"Oh, oh, yeah, okay," Jade said. She scooted off the bed and dug in her school bag for a notebook and pen.

Evie took it and scribbled earnestly on the first blank page she found. Jade leaned towards her to see what she was writing and Evie merely reached up and smacked Jade's hand.

"Okay, okay, I'll wait."

It took Evie a few minutes, but when she handed the notebook back to Jade at last, she leaned back in the bed, obviously satisfied.

Jade looked down at the page. With a series of deft ink strokes, Evie had drawn Jade, her face tilted up to the sunshine, her hands raised, smiling.

Below it Evie had written: "You think nobody sees you when you smile… but I think if you knew how beautiful you were when you smile you'd do it all the time. I love how you pretend to be fearless. You will always be my knight in too much eye makeup. I'm so grateful for all the battles you fight for me and all the battles you fight beside me."

And below that, in smaller letters, Evie had printed: "And I found your new candy bar hiding place."

Jade looked up and saw Evie grinning. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked. "You say all of those nice things and then you threaten my candy bars…"

Evie smiled around the tube.

"… and by the way, I do _not_ wear too much eye makeup!"


	15. Chapter 15

Jade turned off her overhead light and crawled into bed with the sixth Harry Potter book. In public she would never admit that she liked them, or that she secretly wanted to dress up in a Hogwarts uniform to see the final installment of the film, or that she wanted to visit the new theme park in Orlando. She had an image to maintain – one that didn't include Harry Potter or any of his friends.

But she'd been addicted from the very first word of the very first book. And she'd continue to be addicted for the rest of her life.

She heard her father come up the stairs. He rapped softly on the door. "Jadey?"

"Yeah?"

She rolled over towards the door as her father stuck his head in. "Time for bed, sweetheart."

"Okay, Dad," Jade said.

He gave her a little smile and adjusted his little round glasses. "See you in the morning."

He closed the door, and Jade turned back to her book.

From her school bag came the gentle buzzing sound of her phone. She closed the Harry Potter book and pushed back her blankets. She rummaged around in her bag and found her phone. "New Text Message," the screen informed her.

**Good news**, the text message read. **Just got that stupid tube out of my mouth.**

Jade smiled. Only Evie. **Should I get the parade started?** she texted.

**Well, I'd love it, but Mom just fell asleep. Wouldn't want to wake her.**

**Tell you what – after school tomorrow Beck and I will drop by. We'll bring Cat and Andre and Robbie and even Tori, and some gelato. How's that sound?**

There was a long pause, in which Jade imagined a nurse coming in to look at Evie's vitals or flush an IV port. Finally a text message came winging its way back to her: **That sounds amazing. It sounds like the best idea you've ever had.**

Jade laughed. **As I remember it, you told me the best idea I ever had was building a fort in our living room.**

**That was a damn good one too. Hey, I'm wiped. Just wanted to let you know I'm off the vent. And still as good-looking as ever.**

**I'll see you tomorrow, Gooey Lungs.**

**Sure thing. Maybe not so much eye makeup, huh?**

**It's a damn good thing you're in a hospital right now.**

**Love you, Jadey.**

Jade didn't even hesitate. She typed back: **I love you too, Evie, and don't you forget it.**

x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x

In the break between Improv and Study Hall, Tori escaped from Sikowitz, who was talking about the Polish national broomball team for some odd reason, and headed down the Arts corridor to find Ms. Santiago.

She found the dark-haired art teacher deep in consultation with two boys, flipping through large black portfolios full of black-and-white photographs. Ms. Santiago seemed to like everything the taller boy was showing her, and hating everything the shorter boy had to offer. At last the shorter boy turned a page in exasperation, and Ms. Santiago cried, "There! That's it! _Molto bene_, Pete! That's the kind of emotion I want to see!"

Pete flushed, and the tall boy scowled.

"Um, and good job, Eric," Ms. Santiago said. Looking up, she saw Tori. "If you'll excuse me, boys. I'll see you in Photography."

Eric the scowler grabbed his portfolio and stormed out of the room. Pink-faced Pete gave Tori a sheepish smile and went in the same direction.

"Tori Vega," Ms. Santiago said, going around her desk. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to see Evie's canvases," Tori said. "I'm going to see her this afternoon and I thought I'd take her some photographs."

"Ah. Well, they're in the storage room," Ms. Santiago said, gesturing to a small room that was, oddly enough, located between two of the arts classrooms, accessible to both. "She's something else, isn't she?"

"Mm-hmm," Tori said.

"And I suppose she told you she wants to auction them off," Ms. Santiago said, moving towards the storage room with her key ring in hand. "I certainly wasn't that philanthropic in high school."

She unlocked the storage room door and pulled it open. "But she's an old soul, isn't she?"

Tori thought about this. She had to admit, it was one of the most apt descriptions she'd heard of Evie. "She is," she said at last to Ms. Santiago.

"Well, I'm off to refill my coffee mug," Ms. Santiago said. "It's a must before I deal with those heathens in Study Hall. When you're done in the storage room just shut the door."

"Sure," Tori said.

Ms. Santiago disappeared down the hallway, carrying her large travel mug. Tori went into the storage room. Sure enough, there were Evie's canvases, propped against the far wall. She flicked the light on – time to make them look good.

Tori took her camera out of her school bag and aimed it at the first canvas. She took several shots, then moved onto the next canvas. She shot each canvas in turn.

She heard people talking in Ms. Santiago's room. She couldn't recognize the speakers by their voice, but they were having a heated discussion about something. Tori wondered if Pete and Eric of the dueling portfolios had returned.

"… I just think it's sick, that's all."

"Come on, man. The pot's already up to two hundred and fifty bucks. That's a new engine for that motorcycle of yours."

"Oh, shut up."

"Just put your name in, man, come on."

Tori peeked out from the storage room. "Um, hi," she said.

The boys jumped.

"Ms. Santiago went to get her coffee refilled," she said. "She'll be back in just a couple of minutes."

"We're not looking for Ms. Santiago," one of the boys said disdainfully.

"You think we're looking for her? She's such a dope."

One of the guys raised his eyebrows at Tori. "You want to get in on the pool?"

"The pool?" Tori stowed her camera in her bag.

"Yeah," the boy said. "We're betting on when Jade's freaky sister's going to kick it."

Tori looked at him, confused. "I'm assuming that by 'kick it' you are not referring to some sort of dance party."

"Well, you'd be right there, Captain Obvious," the boy said, rolling his eyes. He flourished what looked like an Excel spreadsheet, with names and numbers scrawled across it. "We've got a pool going on when she's going to croak. Shove off. _Die_."

"That's sick," Tori said.

"That's what I said!" the other boy cried.

Tori had never really believed in divine intervention, but that belief changed as Jade strode into the room. When she caught sight of Tori's aghast face, Jade raised her eyebrows and took off her headphones. "What?"

"Oh, Jade, good," Tori said. "Wow, that's a series of words I never thought I'd say… um, guys, why don't you tell Jade what you're up to?"

Jade looked over at the boys, who were now looking very nervous.

"It's just… it's just stupid," said one, flushing furiously.

"Two hundred and fifty dollars doesn't sound stupid to _me_," Tori said, going to stand next to Jade.

"Who's got two hundred and fifty dollars?" Jade wanted to know.

"Oh, that's the best part," Tori went on cheerfully. "That's the amount of money they've got on when your sister's going to die."

Jade's normally dour expression turned to rage. "_What?"_

She turned to Tori. "Go out in the hallway."

"What? Why?"

"Because, Vega, I need a lookout," Jade replied fiercely.

"Don't kill them," Tori said worriedly.

"No promises!"

Tori stood awkwardly in the hallway as students streamed to their Study Hall classrooms around her. There was no sign of the overly-caffeinated Ms. Santiago, and no one else came towards the art room.

From inside the room she heard – "Jade! No! I swear we didn't…"

And then Jade's voice: "Listen to _me_, dumbass. You are going to take the money… are you listening, Santiago? And you are going to _donate_ that money to the Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. You hear me?"

"Yes!" one of the boys squawked.

"And if I find out that you didn't do _exactly_ as I'm telling you… _look_ at me, Santiago! – I'm going to hunt you down and _make. You. Pay."_

There was a frantic few seconds of silence, and then Jade said, "Is that _clear?"_

"Yeah! Yeah!" Tori heard the boys chorus in unison.

"Good," Jade said, and then she stomped out into the hallway, her face redder than Tori had ever seen it. "I swear, if murder wasn't a punishable offense…"

She let out a fierce growl of unhappiness. "Let's go before I change my mind about hurting them."

"I think that's a good idea," Tori said. "And maybe we'll find Beck. Or, you know, some tranquilizers."

"Don't even mess with me, Vega."

"Beck it is."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** I am so sorry this chapter has been so long in coming! I've been having a wonderful holiday break from school and have been really enjoying the sleeping and the TV and this has led to no writing. But I think I'm coming back now. Enjoy! :)

* * *

Evie was in the "playroom," or as the hospital workers called it, the Child Life Center. She sat near the back of the room, with her sketchpad on the table before her. She had originally come down to the playroom for a change of scenery, and she had hoped that she could get some work done on her various art projects. But as she'd gotten herself comfortable at a table, she noticed a girl who was probably her age, sitting alone at another table, looking blankly out the window.

Almost immediately her pencil was moving across the sketchpad. The girl was beautiful in profile, way too skinny, with the bald head that accompanied chemotherapy. She sat in a chair, with three IV pumps on a stand behind her, running down to an IV line that disappeared under the collar of her pale blue pajama top.

Evie knew it was wrong of her to stare, and questionably acceptable to draw someone she didn't know, without asking their permission. But something compelled her – was it the thought that if she waited too long, the girl would disappear? Surely people who were on the brink of death didn't wheel themselves down to the Child Life Center to put together a puzzle or watch a DVD. But what did she know?

She didn't have much time to mull over such matters of life and death, though, because just as she finished her first sketch, a crowd of people came through the playroom door. Evie looked up and saw Beck and Jade leading the group, with Cat, Tori, Andre, and Robbie and Rex following along behind. Evie flipped her sketchpad closed and looked up at them as they got closer – it was so odd to see them here, she thought, in the midst of all these sick kids. They were all way too alive, way too vibrant.

Jade spotted Evie first, and strode towards her, boot heels clicking on the floor. "You're looking good," she said without much preamble.

Evie wasn't sure this was true; she was off the ventilator and upright in her own wheelchair, true, but her lips were scabby and flaking from the dry humidity of the ventilator and the oxygen, she hadn't been able to wash her hair, and she was still wearing hospital pajamas. And there was the not-so-small matter of the IV pumps, oxygen tank, and feeding pump that sat behind her wheelchair. "And you're wearing just as much eye makeup as usual."

"Wouldn't be a Tuesday if she wasn't," Beck said with a smile.

"Oooh, Evie!" Cat squealed, and hurried forward to throw her arms around her friend.

"Hi, Cat," Evie said.

"We brought you gelato!" Cat exclaimed. "All the flavors!"

"Nothing but the best for you," Beck said, putting a small cooler on the table in front of her. "And Mama Pileggi says hello."

Evie smiled. "Mama Pileggi from Mama Pileggi's Famous Gelato?"

"Like I said, nothing but the best." Beck pulled up chairs from other tables, and the friends sat down.

Jade took charge of the cooler, taking the top off and pulling out several small cups with labeled lids. "Let's see… we've got raspberry, lemon, lime, watermelon, coconut, pistachio… who ordered the pistachio?"

Robbie raised his hand a bit sheepishly. Jade pushed the cup across the table to him. "You better eat it all," she said. "Nobody likes pistachio."

"You ask me, it's not really a flavor," Rex said as Robbie wrestled with the lid. "It's some kind of a nut, and so's he for eating it."

"Rex!"

"Did we get strawberry?" Cat asked, leaning forward.

"Um, I don't see it, but there's… boysenberry," Andre said, reading one of the lids. "Boysenberry?"

"Do you think there's _girl_senberry?" Cat asked, and burst into giggles.

Evie had to smile. She was so happy to see them all.

"What's your choice?" Jade asked Evie.

Evie considered this carefully as Tori passed out spoons. Mama Pileggi's Gelato was amazing, and she liked almost all the flavors. The chocolate orange was awesome, but she could never eat a whole cup. Apricot was good, too, but not as good as… "Peach?"

Jade took the lid off the peach gelato and stuck a spoon in it, then handed it to Evie.

"Ooh, strawberry!" Cat said, and grabbed the cup off the table with glee.

When the gelato had been handed out, Tori leaned towards Evie. "Do you think the girl over there would like some gelato?"

"Giving away gelato that's not yours, Vega?" Jade asked, arching an eyebrow as she stuck her spoon into the sour cherry.

"No, I think it's a good idea," Evie said. "I was actually thinking about asking her if she wanted to hang out."

She stood up, a bit shakily, and grabbed her IV stand. Rolling it along beside her, with her oxygen over her shoulder, she went over to where the bald girl sat near the windows. "Um, hi," she said, a little uncertainly. "I'm Evie."

The girl looked over at her a little disdainfully. "Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm," Evie said. "And I was wondering if you wanted to come have some gelato with me and my friends."

The girl scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"We've got all sorts of flavors," Evie said. "I think there's still chocolate orange, that's pretty amazing."

The girl turned to Evie. "Listen here. I don't like gelato."

"Well, I think Jade brought some juice and…"

"And I don't like do-gooders," the girl continued. "I don't want to be your friend. I don't want to get to know you. I don't want to talk about boys or makeup or TV shows. I just want you to shut the hell up and get away from me."

It would have hurt more if she'd said it in an angry, accusatory tone. Instead she was almost too blasé, and the words cut deeply into Evie.

But she hadn't lived so long without learning that sometimes it was a good idea to be able to conceal one's emotions. "Well, okay," Evie said simply. "If you change your mind, we'll be over here."

With that, she dragged her IV stand back over to the table, sat down in her wheelchair, and focused her full attention on both her gelato and her friends.

First Robbie told a story about a humorous encounter in math class. Rex gave color commentary and somehow managed to subtly insult Robbie's math skills. Robbie flushed bright red and blamed the whole thing on Ms. Keller, the math teacher.

Cat took over from there, telling the group in her light, bouncy tone about accidentally falling down the stairs in the auditorium. Thankfully, Sinjin had caught her. Unfortunately, he had dropped her promptly thereafter. "But he was so sweet about it!" she burbled. "And he bought me lunch!"

"He bought you a glass of water," Jade said.

"But it was the effort that counted," Cat said, and took a big bite of her gelato.

The friends talked for a little while longer, until the gelato was gone. Beck gathered up the spoons and the empty cups and tossed them into the trash can. Jade put the lid back on the cooler.

"I'll run everybody home," Beck said to Jade, "and then come back for you. If that's okay?"

"Sounds good," Jade said noncommittally.

"Bye, Evie!" Cat squealed, and threw her arms around her friend. "You're way too skinny!"

"And your hair is way too in my mouth," Evie said, bringing up a hand to brush hair away from her face.

"Oh! Sorry!"

"Bye, Evie," Tori said. "Oh, I almost forgot – this is for you.

She passed a slim envelope across the table to Evie, who opened it interestedly. "Someone made a $300 donation in my name to the Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation?" Evie asked, looking up at Tori. She held up a light green donation slip. "Was it you?"

"No," Tori said with a smile. "But I have it on good authority that it's from some people who really care."

"Oh, well. Cool," Evie said. "Thanks for this."

Tori gave Jade a smile and a wink, and grabbed her school bag, heading out after Beck and Cat.

"Later," Rex said to Evie.

"Hope to see you back at school," Robbie said, and gave Evie a big grin.

Evie looked up at Andre, who was the next in her "receiving line" of fans. "I wanted to thank you for that song you helped Jade with," Evie said to Andre. "It really meant a lot to me."

"He didn't help that much," Jade said.

"Well, sort of," Andre said. "I mean, it was really Jade's deal."

"But where would she have been without your melodious fingers on those keys?" Evie asked, smiling.

"Got that right," Andre said, and then he scampered out the door after the others.

When they were gone, Jade sat down next to Evie and tapped the sketch pad sitting on the table. "What are you working on now?"

"Nothing important," Evie said, quickly reaching for the pad. "Nothing, really."

"I talked to Ms. Santiago today," Jade said. "She's really excited about you auctioning off your canvases at the banquet. Super supportive."

"She's a funny duck, isn't she?"

"I like her," Jade said.

"She's not _your_ teacher," Evie pointed out.

"She has a good heart."

Evie's mouth dropped open. "Did the demon just admit that some people have good hearts? What's next? A speech about unicorns and puppies? Or another discussion about how Harry and Ginny are _so_ right for each other?"

"Hey!" Jade said, indignantly. "You said you would never talk about that!"

Tired, Evie leaned forward on her elbows, propping her chin in her hands. "I had an interesting visitor today," she said to Jade. Before she could continue, her breath caught in her chest and she coughed deeply, sucking in little breaths between coughs.

Jade leaned over and grabbed Evie's backpack from the handles of her wheelchair. She unzipped the backpack and dug out Evie's inhalers. She shook the first one, took the cap off, and held it up to Evie's mouth. Evie took in a small gasp and took a puff from the inhaler.

Jade shook the next one and put it in Evie's hand. Still choking, coughing, and gasping, Evie managed to use both of her inhalers. Jade got up and checked the oxygen flow dial on Evie's compressor. She cranked it up, until she could hear the reassuring hiss of oxygen flowing into Evie's nostrils. When she had done that, she went over to the refrigerator in the Child Life Center and took out a bottle of water.

There were still some napkins on the table from the gelato party, and Jade held these up to Evie's mouth. Evie spit and hacked. Jade twisted the cap off the water and passed that over. Evie managed to get in a long enough breath to allow her to take a drink.

Finally the spasm ended, and Evie was breathing at least a little easier. Jade looked over at her. "How's things?"

"Been better," Evie said, spitting out a wad of mucus. "Yuck. But I've been worse, too."

"You sure have," Jade said.

"Hey, will you go back to my room and get me the juice that's there? Mom brought it for me. It's in the little fridge," Evie said.

"Sure," Jade said. She looked over at Evie, who was still picking gobs of mucus from her mouth. "And I think I'll get the suction unit, too."

"It's in there," Evie said, and wiped her mouth with another napkin.

When Jade had gone Evie leaned back in her wheelchair and closed her eyes. There was an odd stillness in the room and she opened her eyes to see the girl with the bald head standing in front of her, holding onto her IV stand.

Evie lifted her head and stared back at the girl.

The girl stuck out her chin at the assortment of inhalers, water, and mucus-globbed napkins on the table. Evie realized at that moment there was a string of goo on the corner of her mouth. Awkwardly she reached up to wipe it away.

"That's pretty intense," the bald girl said.

"Yeah, it's a good time," Evie said sardonically.

The girl looked a little embarrassed. "You told me your name, but I realize I didn't introduce myself. I'm Halley."

"Pleased to meet you," Evie said.

"Your sister's pretty awesome," Halley said. "I mean, I'm super-jealous. Nobody's in here offering me tissues and beverages."

She sat down across from Evie. "Sorry if I was a total bitch. You could say I've got a few issues."

"Everybody does," Evie said.

"But most people grow up and realize it's not all about them," Halley said. "I haven't quite got there yet."

She sat back in her chair. "I guess you've been around here before. You've got a knowledgeable look about you. This is my first flight. My first treatment. It'll be over in another two weeks, but it's still… it's still rough. How do you deal with it?"

Evie tilted her head. "I don't want to say you'll get used to it, but… you get used to it. At some point you realize that the hospital's just another part of your life. But you can't let it become your life. You have to take time to do things you want. And you have to stop being horrible to people."

Jade, having returned from Evie's room with the juice and the suction machine, stood in the doorway, watching Evie talk to a new person.

"My sister's great," Evie said. "And my friends are great too. I love the fact that they bring me things and spend time with me. And they treat me just like everyone else."

Halley looked over at two toddlers doing a puzzle with their mothers. "Do you think about dying?"

"Every day," Evie replied without hesitation. "Sometimes I think I won't be able to breathe for another second. And then I start worrying about a lung transplant… and how if I die I'd be letting everybody down, everybody who fought for me. And that's the last thing I want to do."

"And I suppose you're just going to tell me that you get over that feeling, too?" Halley asked a little sarcastically.

"Are you kidding?" Evie snorted. "That's the one feeling you _never_ get over."

"Oh," Halley said shortly. "I guess I thought you were going to tell me there were easy answers to that problem too."

"There are no easy answers," Evie said. "To that… or to anything."

One of Halley's IV pumps beeped, and she turned around to look at it. "Guess I should go get somebody to unhook me," she said. "Um, I hope this isn't too presumptuous… but I hope I'll see you again."

"I think I'd like that," Evie said.

Halley stood up and wheeled her IV pump out of the Child Life Center. As she left, Jade returned to Evie's table. She sat down across from her sister and looked at her as though seeing her for the first time. "Is that true?"

"What?" Evie asked, taking the juice from Jade and swigging down a long drink.

"That you feel like dying would be letting everybody down?"

"It would," Evie said simply.

"That's ridiculous," Jade said. "That's insane and you know it."

"Do I?"

"I hope after this long you'd know at least that."

"Sometimes I don't know what I know," Evie said, and the only thing she _did_ know was that was the truth. Some things never made sense.


	17. Chapter 17

The next Friday, after school, Jade stuck her head into Evie's room. Evie was lying on her bed, flipping through the TV channels. Her oxygen was on the bed next to her, and she was hooked up to her feeding pump as well as an IV infusion pump. Since coming home from the hospital and heading back to school, Evie was often too tired to do much of anything.

"Hey," Jade said. "Turn off that TV. We're going out."

"Oh, yeah?" Evie asked.

"Mm-hmm. It's Cat's birthday."

"Ooh!" Evie pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Are we going to Bella Fina?"

"Yeah," Jade said. "I'll drive the van and we'll pick up Beck and Cat on the way. Put on something fancy."

At that Evie's face fell. "Oh, Jadey, I can't. All of my fancy dresses, they show off…"

She gestured helplessly at the place where a brand-new central line sprouted from her T-shirt collar. After fighting with her parents and doctors, Evie had finally capitulated to the placement of a semi-permanent IV line for the administration of antibiotics and fluids. It wasn't her first central line and the odds were it wouldn't be her last; she hadn't wanted it, but she had to admit it made taking medication much easier.

"So what?" Jade asked her in typically bold manner. "If anyone has a problem with it, we'll just tell them to piss off."

"Not everybody is mean like you, Jadey," Evie said. "Not everybody's brave like you. I don't want to be doing IV infusions at Bella Fina! It's a classy place! I didn't even want to be doing it at Denny's that one time for Pap-Pap's birthday!"

Jade flicked off Evie's TV and strode over to her sister's closet. "You have that great dress from that time you went out with Timmy Crocker. Where's that?"

She opened the closet and rummaged around in Evie's clothes. "Or here's that purple dress from last year's CF gala – wear that one."

"Jade, I don't want to go," Evie moaned.

"Nope, I'm not listening," Jade said. "You're going. We're all going. We're going to have a great time."

She pulled out the purple dress, which had wide straps and bright sequins and glitter sprinkled like stars across the hem. "You look so good in this," Jade said. "Wear it with your purple tennis shoes."

Jade hung the dress on the closet door handle and strode across the room to the door. "We leave in fifteen minutes," she said. "I'll put your wheelchair in the car."

With that she was gone. Evie stared at the doorway where her sister had just been, and then, grumbling, she scooted off her bed and reached for the purple dress.

* * *

A half hour later, Jade pulled the minivan into Cat's driveway. Cat stood on her front porch, jabbering into her cell phone with a big grin on her face. The petite redhead wore a bright teal dress and had a tiara perched on her head. When she saw Jade and Evie, Cat grinned even wider and sprinted from the porch. "Hi! Hi!"

Into her cell phone she said, "They're here! I'll talk to you later!"

Cat opened the van door and slid inside. "Oh, I'm so excited! We're going to dinner!"

"Who were you talking to?" Evie asked as Jade pulled the van out into the street.

"My pen pal," Cat said brightly, buckling her seatbelt.

"Your pen pal?"

"Mm-hmm. He called to wish me a happy birthday."

"When did you get a pen pal?" Jade wanted to know.

"In third grade," Cat said, as if that explained everything.

"You still _have_ that pen pal?"

"Were we supposed to give them up?" Cat asked.

"Well, being a pen pal really isn't a blood oath," Jade said, stopping the van at a red light. "I mean, I got one letter from Paloma in Chile and then nothing. How are you still in contact with yours?"

"Well, he's so sweet," Cat said. "He calls me sometimes, just to talk. He just broke up with his girlfriend. But she sounded like a real bitch, so I don't know if it's that much of a loss."

"I thought your pen pal was Mahmud from Pakistan," Jade said.

"Mm-hmm. He's such a sweetie."

"I didn't know you spoke Urdu," Jade said.

"What's Urdu?" Cat wanted to know.

Jade and Evie laughed.

A few minutes later, the van pulled into Beck's driveway. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver were working in their considerable garden. Mr. Oliver was pruning the roses and Mrs. Oliver was weeding the vegetable patch. Mrs. Oliver looked up with a sweet smile and waved.

"Beck will be right out," Mr. Oliver said, putting down his pruning shears. "He went into the house to get a present."

"For me?" Cat squealed from the backseat.

"Are you the birthday girl?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, then I bet it's for you," Mr. Oliver said, smiling.

Beck came out the front door with his jacket slung over one shoulder, carrying a square package wrapped in bright red paper. He waved to his parents and climbed in the van. "Hi, everybody."

He leaned forward to give Jade a kiss. "And this is for you," he said to Cat, handing her the present. "But you have to wait until after dinner to open it."

Cat pouted about that, but the van soon arrived at Bella Fina and she forgot all about it, exclaiming with happiness about the beauty of the restaurant and the surrounding area.

Tori, Andre, and Trina were sitting at a wrought-iron table on the patio. Robbie and Rex were nearby, perched on a railing.

"I didn't know Trina was coming," Evie said as Jade pulled the van into a handicapped parking space.

"She wasn't invited," Jade said acidly, putting the handicapped placard onto the rearview mirror.

"Oh, lighten up," Beck said.

He went around the back of the van and removed Evie's wheelchair from the trunk. He unfolded it and brought it around the passenger side. Jade was already there, getting out Evie's backpack full of meds and supplies, which she handed to Beck. He put it on the back of the wheelchair.

"Hand me your food pump," Jade said to Evie, who reached down into the center console and brought out the small bright blue box. "Okay, and now your IV pump."

Evie grabbed the little black backpack that contained the IV pump. "Don't get the lines twisted," she said to Jade.

"I know what I'm doing," Jade said, but without malice. "Stand up whenever you're ready."

Evie swung her legs out the door and leaned on the wheelchair arms. Jade reached in and took the tote bag with the oxygen compressor from the foot-well of the van. Evie stood up and turned herself around, plopping herself down into the wheelchair.

"Are your lines good?"

"Yeah," Evie said.

Jade set the feeding pump next to Evie and hung the little backpack on the back of the chair. "Run your IV line over your right shoulder."

Evie did as Jade asked, and settled herself in her chair. "Okay, okay, I'm fine. Let's just go eat!"

They set off for the front door of the restaurant, a marauding army on its way to have a very good time.


	18. Chapter 18

"Do you think they have pudding?" Trina asked.

"Why don't you look at the _menu?"_ Tori suggested.

"It's in foreign," Trina said.

She opened the big menu and waved it in front of Tori. "See? What does that say?"

"Spaghetti," Tori read.

"Oh."

A dark-haired waiter in the Bella Fina uniform of black pants, long-sleeved black shirt, and a crisp white apron strode over to their table. "Good evening. My name is Steve and I may or may not be your waiter tonight."

With that he gave the group a big smile, showing off extremely straight, extremely white teeth. "I'm just kidding. I'm a philosophy major. I'll definitely be your waiter tonight, unless Piers the insane manager goes on another firing rampage… and then nothing's for sure."

He took out a note pad from his apron pocket. "Could I start you all off with some beverages? Our special drink tonight is the blood orange smoothie, prepared with actual blood oranges."

Cat raised her hand timidly. "Excuse me. Do those oranges have actual blood in them?"

The waiter took this in stride. "No, no they do not. And may I compliment you on your fetching tiara?"

Cat beamed. "Yes! You may!"

"It's lovely," Steve said. "Is it for a special occasion?"

"It's my birthday!" Cat squealed happily.

"Well, then, birthday cake all around!" Steve said. "What would you like to drink, birthday girl?"

"A chocolate milkshake," Cat said.

Steve took the rest of the drink orders, and swept off.

"What does this say?" Trina asked, pointing at the menu.

"Trina, you can not be serious."

"It's not my fault I've never been to Italy!" Trina pouted.

"It says 'grilled cheese.'"

"Oh. Well, it's dark in here."

Tori looked up. It didn't seem all that dark to her, but she wasn't about to engage Trina in a battle of wits.

"Beck, I heard a rumor," Trina said, leaning over her menu.

"You did?" Beck asked from behind his menu.

"I heard you have a _hot_ cousin who goes to Riverdale High. Is that true?"

"True. Well, part of it's true." Beck appeared from behind his menu. "I do have a cousin, and he does go to Riverdale. But as for hot…"

"He has a certain charm," Evie said with a smile.

Trina looked over at Evie with a sort of thinly-disguised curiosity. "Mmm. I see. So, will you set me up with him?"

"I'll ask him," Beck said with an offhand shrug. "He'll be back from Albuquerque on Sunday."

"Ooh, Albuquerque," Trina said. "Sounds nice."

"If you like tubas."

One of Evie's pumps beeped. She shifted in her wheelchair to look at it. "Shoot."

"What is it?" Jade asked.

"It's my food pump. It's done." Evie sighed. "I've got to go disconnect it."

Jade put her napkin on the table and set her menu on top of it. "Okay."

She stood up and moved to pull Evie's wheelchair back from the table. Tori put her hand out to stop her. "I'll go. I have to go to the bathroom anyway."

Jade gave Tori a suspicious look, but sat down without complaint. Tori wheeled Evie to the ladies' bathroom.

"This place is swanky," Evie said as Tori stopped her wheelchair in front of the sink. "Even the bathroom is classy."

Tori had to admit it was true. The bathroom featured brown marble countertops and sinks shot through with little lines of gleaming gold. The mirrors had been polished to a gleaming shine, as had the sink fixtures. There were little baskets of potpourri and fancy folded paper towels on the counters, and vases full of flowers. "Sometimes I get a little intimidated in a fancy bathroom," Tori said as she went into one of the stalls.

"I like it," Evie said. "Makes me feel like I'm somebody special."

She locked her wheelchair brakes and stood up. She picked up her feeding pump and unwound the tubing from the top of the box. With one quick movement she yanked up the skirt of her fancy purple dress and disconnected the skinny feeding tube from the little plastic port on her stomach. She quickly pulled her dress back down just as the door swung open.

It startled Evie and she sat down quickly into her chair. It was a little girl in a pink dress, with her hair pulled back in a pink bow, and her mother, who was wearing a raspberry sweater dress. "Stay here for a minute, Bella," the woman said. "Mommy's going to use the bathroom."

The woman disappeared into the other stall and the little girl stood next to Evie's chair, with one hand on the countertop. The girl looked over at Evie, not saying anything, just rocking back and forth a little.

"I like your dress," Evie said as she stowed her feeding pump in the backpack on the back of her chair. "It's pretty."

The girl studied Evie with big brown eyes.

"And I like the bow in your hair, too," Evie said. "I was going to put a bow in my hair, but I didn't have time, because my sister was yelling at me to hurry up."

She gave the girl a smile. "So I just put in this headband. What do you think?"

Evie reached up and patted the silver sequined headband holding back her hair. "I like it. It's a little flashy, but not too flashy. Just the right amount of shine."

The girl continued to stare at Evie.

"And I didn't have any special shoes, but I've got these purple tennis shoes," Evie went on. "Looks like you've got some shiny shoes there."

Tori came out of the stall and went over to the sink to wash her hands. "Did you decide what you're going to order?" she asked Evie.

"Hmm, maybe the chicken parmesan," Evie said. "That's what I had last time. It's pretty good."

The girl's mother came out of her stall as Tori was wiping her hands on a fancy paper towel. As the woman washed her hands, the girl reached up and gently set her hand on Evie's face. "Hmmm," the girl said as though considering something deeply.

The girl's mother turned to look at Evie and her daughter as though seeing them for the first time. Over the sound of the sink still running, she said, "Oh. Oh, my."

"It's okay," Evie said without breaking eye contact with the little girl.

"Oh, Bella," the girl's mother said, and then she was kneeling on the floor in front of her daughter, tears in her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Evie asked quietly.

"Oh, yes," the woman said, quickly wiping tears out of her eyes. "It's just… Bella… she's autistic. She's never quite reacted to someone that way."

The girl gave Evie a little smile, and then removed her hand and left the bathroom with her mother following behind.

"Ms. Santiago was right," Tori said after a moment.

"Black coffee really does taste better with maple syrup in it?" Evie asked, still a little stunned.

"Um, I don't know about that," Tori said, "although for what it's worth it sounds like a solid idea. But Ms. Santiago said you're an old soul."

Evie smiled. "Did she?"

"I think it's true," Tori said.

The door swung open and Jade stuck her head in. "Are you going to eat dinner in here?"

"That depends," Evie said. "Is Steve the waiter going to come in here?"

"Don't mess with me," Jade said. "Just get out here and order."

Evie gave Tori a smile, and the two of them left the bathroom.

* * *

Clapping waiters surrounded the table, cheering as Steve brought out a big chocolate cake with lit candles. Led by a portly waiter with a patchy beard, the group belted out "Happy Birthday," much to Cat's delight.

"Yay!" she exclaimed.

When the song ended Steve put the cake in front of Cat, and everyone leaned forward to watch her blow out the candles. She closed her eyes and made a wish, and then leaned in to blow out the candles, holding her red hair back from the flames.

The sea of waiters abated, and Steve leaned in with a gigantic silver knife to cut thick wedges of cake for the entire table.

"What did you wish for?" Andre asked.

Cat beamed. "For a puppy," she answered, "and for new lungs for Evie."

"You shouldn't have wasted your wish," Evie said softly.

"It wasn't a waste," Cat said. "And since I wished it for my birthday, it's got to come true."

* * *

After the friends had eaten their fill of cherry-filled chocolate cake, and Trina had been picked up for a date with John Benson, they went down to the beach. Evie left her wheelchair in the van and carried her oxygen compressor and her IV pump across the sand, taking halting steps in her newly bare feet.

As the sun set they strolled along the beach. Jade and Beck led, holding hands; Cat bebopped behind them, grinning and chattering away. Andre and Tori followed, and Evie went slowly after them.

They kept on walking and Evie fell farther and farther behind, but she didn't mind. The sunset was beautiful and the feeling of the ocean on her feet was simply lovely. She was happy – she was out of the hospital, they'd celebrated Cat's birthday, and Cat had even made a very selfless, heartfelt wish.

Evie realized she could go no further. Her breathing was ragged and her chest hurt. She'd just sit here and wait for the others to turn around and come back for her.

She concentrated on her breathing as the waves rolled in and out. _In. Out. In. Out_.

She rested her head on her knees and listened to the hiss of oxygen through the nasal cannula. It sounded like the ocean.

Suddenly she was very tired.

"Come here," someone said from above her, and strong arms reached down to pick Evie up off the sand.

"You just want to show off your muscles," Evie murmured as Beck settled her in his arms.

"Every chance I get," Beck said.

"Don't get any ideas," Jade said, and Evie gave her a smile over Beck's shoulder.

They walked up the shore to where the van was parked, and Evie thought she'd never been quite as happy.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated as quickly as I usually do. I'm having some rough times and it's hard to write most days. But I hope to be back up and making progress on this story (and a few new ones) soon. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

"Don't go in there," Annie West said to Jade as she came out of Evie's room. "She's just wiped. She fell asleep during CPT."

"I'm not going to bother her," Jade said.

"Well, she's asleep," Annie said. "I don't know how she falls asleep with the Vest on… I'd be wide awake."

"Not if you did it twice a day for your entire life," Jade pointed out.

Annie closed Evie's door and gave Jade a small smile. "How was Cat's birthday dinner?"

"It was nice," Jade replied. "Especially after Trina left."

"Did she like Beck's present?"

"Surprisingly, yes," Jade said. "Who would have thought she'd be so excited about a trivet with a picture of a red cat on it?"

Annie opened the linen closet at the end of the hall and rummaged around in the sheets. "I'm still listening," she said, her voice muffled by the closet door. "Did you have a walk on the beach?"

"Mm-hmm," Jade said. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"The other day Evie was talking about a special visitor she had, but she never finished telling me who it was. Do you know anything about that?"

Annie came out of the closet with a set of fresh sheets. "I do, but I think it's more Evie's place to tell you the whole story."

"Aw," Jade said, and pouted.

"It's worth waiting for," Annie said. "Before you go to bed, will you unload the dishwasher?"

"Sure," Jade said.

Annie gave her a kiss on the forehead and went into the master bedroom to make up the bed. Jade waited until she was sure her mom was safely inside her room, and then slipped into Evie's room.

Evie was sprawled on her back, hooked up to a variety of wires and tubes. Two big tubes connected her to the Vest system, another to the bipap, another to the IV pump, another to the feeding pump, a thin one to the oxygen compressor, and a thin wire to the pulse oximeter. Evie's heart rate – 112, pretty high for someone at rest – and her oxygen saturation percent – 95% - flashed across the little screen.

Evie was asleep as though she'd fallen from some great height, as though she was making a snow angel. She looked peaceful, despite all of the machinery tethering her to the ground.

Jade crawled into bed next to her sister and curled up on top of the blankets. Evie shook and breathed, medicines and food dripped into her, and yet she was still so quiet. Jade reached over and brushed Evie's eyelids with her finger. Evie sighed under the bipap mask.

Jade closed her own eyes, just for a moment or so, and when she opened them again Evie was looking right at her. "Jeez!" Jade exclaimed.

Evie gave her a smile.

"You scared me," Jade said.

Evie reached up and yanked off her bipap mask. On the bedside table the machine started beeping; Jade leaned over and shut off the alarm. "Did you have fun tonight, Evie?"

"Yeah," Evie said sleepily. "It was a lot of fun. The food was good."

Then she seemed to wake up a little more; she rubbed her eyes and smiled at Jade. "What are you doing in here?"

"Anyone tell you you're not very accommodating?"

"We just don't cuddle together much anymore," Evie said.

"So… you were telling me about a visitor you had the other day," Jade said.

"Was it Ms. Santiago?"

"No. Wait, Ms. Santiago came to visit you?"

"Mm-hmm. She brought me some Canadian maple syrup."

"What for?"

"Apparently it's awesome in black coffee," Evie said. "Turn off the Vest, please."

Jade sat up and leaned over the side of the bed. She hit the "off" button on the Vest system. Evie undid the Velcro and yanked off the vest. "Much better," Evie announced.

"So… a visitor?"

"Well, I really didn't believe her about the maple syrup," Evie said. "But Mom tried it and…"

"I'm not talking about Ms. Santiago."

"Oh!" Evie said. "My _other_ visitor. Have you ever heard of the Grant a Dream Foundation?"

"I guess so," Jade said.

"They were the ones who sent Dana Laine to Disney World to meet Justin Timberlake," Evie said.

"Oh, yeah."

"You know, back when JT was super-popular," Evie went on. "Well, they had a representative at the hospital the other day and one of the doctors was talking to me about registering for a Dream."

"Can you do that? I thought it was just for little kids."

"Apparently they'll take you up until you're eighteen," Evie said.

"Awesome," Jade said. "What are you going to wish for?"

Evie gave Jade a big smile. "Open my night stand drawer."

Interested, Jade leaned over and pulled open the night stand drawer. Inside was a shiny gold folder embossed with stars and the Grant a Dream Foundation logo. She sat up and looked at Evie expectantly.

"Go ahead," Evie said. She picked up her nasal cannula and looped it behind her ears and under her nose, turning on the oxygen compressor.

Jade opened the gold folder, and for a moment couldn't understand what she was seeing.

"Well?" Evie asked, leaning back against the headboard.

"But… this isn't your wish," Jade said, holding up the brochure for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. "This is _my_ wish."

"Who says it can't be my wish?" Evie asked.

Jade was still aghast. "I mean, I know I've talked about going there, and… but is this what _you_ want?"

"Think, Jadey," Evie said. "What else am I going to wish for? A trip to Disney Land? We go there every year almost anyway. To meet a celebrity? Who do I need to meet? Art supplies? I've got all I could ever use. And this would make me happy if my wish could be something special for you too."

"Wow," Jade said.

"And this is the part that makes it _my_ wish," Evie said. "I asked the representative if it would be possible for some of our friends to come along."

Jade looked up suddenly. "Not Trina," she said.

Evie laughed and coughed, coughed, coughed. When she sat back up she was still grinning. "No, not Trina. I was thinking of Cat, and Tori, and Beck. And Andre and Robbie."

"That would be amazing," Jade said.

Evie was quiet for a moment, and then she said, "And after we get back, they're going to list me for transplant."

Jade set the brochure down. "Oh."

"I've made up my mind, Jadey," Evie said. "Just think of what it would be like… if I could get rid of all this."

She waved her hand at the accumulated equipment. "No more oxygen, no more Vest, no more IV drips. I'd still probably have the feeding tube, but I wouldn't have to use it so often. It could be different."

"Evie…"

"Please don't say anything about it," Evie said. "Just think about it. I know there are huge risks and I know nothing's for sure, but just like I can't pass up an opportunity to go to Florida and make magic, I can't pass up an opportunity to change my 'normal.'"

She yawned. "And maybe they won't find me lungs," she said. "Maybe we'll all just go on forever like this. Hand me my bipap, please."

She took off her nasal cannula and replaced it with the mask Jade handed to her. "I'm sleepy now," Evie said, and lay down.

"Evie?" Jade said, as she stood at the door, looking back at her sister.

"Yeah, Jadey?"

"Thanks for making me part of your wish."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Evie said, a little muffled behind the mask. "I mean, there's no guarantees, but they said I'm a pretty good candidate for getting my Dream granted soon."

She frowned over at Jade. "Where are you going?"

"What?"

"I thought we were snuggling," Evie said. "I liked it."

"I have to go empty the dishwasher," Jade said.

"Oh," Evie said, and smiled, and closed her eyes.

Jade looked over at the heart rate monitor. The green numbers blinked back a much lower, much calmer heart rate – 89. "But I'll be back," she promised, and closed the door softly.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning when Jade came down to breakfast, Annie was in the kitchen making cinnamon rolls. "Smells good," Jade said grudgingly as she opened the pantry to get the Cheerios.

"Thank you, dear," Annie said. "The first batch should be done in about four minutes."

Jade sat at the table with her cereal. Annie put the final batch of rolls into the oven and then set about opening Evie's pill bottles and putting daily doses into the daily pill box: breakfast, lunch, four o'clock, dinner, bed-time. Jade looked up. "Did Evie already eat?"

"I got her up earlier to do chest percussion and she was really junky, so I sent her back to do another round of nebulizers and Vest. If she can clear out the gunk I'll bring her to school a little late. I called Beck to see if he could take you – I don't want to leave Evie until I'm sure she's breathing better."

A car pulled into the driveway. Jade set her spoon in the Cheerios bowl. "That's not Beck's car," she said to her mother.

"Well, you didn't let me finish telling you the story. Beck's dad said he left early for school because he had a rehearsal with the men's a cappella group. So I called Evie's friend."

Annie drizzled icing over the cinnamon rolls.

"Evie's friend?" Jade asked.

"Yeah. You know, Tori," Annie said.

The doorbell rang.

"_Mom_," Jade said.

"Honey, I realize she's not your favorite person, but…"

"Mom?" Evie called from upstairs.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Can you bring me like four suction catheters?"

"Sure, sweetie."

The doorbell rang again.

"Go let her in," Annie said as she opened the cupboard next to the stove and took out a handful of still-wrapped catheters. "Offer her a cinnamon roll."

She took the catheters and hurried out of the kitchen.

Jade groaned and stomped out of the kitchen. She yanked open the front door. "What?"

Tori turned to face her. "Um, hi."

"Yeah, yeah, come in." Jade left the door open and stomped off.

In the kitchen she pulled on a bright red oven mitt and yanked the final pan of rolls out of the oven. "Cinnamon roll, Vega?"

"Um, sure."

Jade slammed the pan down on top of the oven and ripped off the oven mitt.

"You're probably going to stab me with something for asking, but is everything all right?" Tori asked, pulling one of the icing-covered cinnamon rolls off the pan.

Jade sighed and went to the fridge to pull out the juice. She took two glasses out of the cupboard and poured two glasses of cranberry juice. She pushed one across the counter to Tori. "If you tell anyone about this, I will stridently deny it to the ends of the earth." She sighed and took a long drink of juice. "It's just… sometimes when I get up and Evie's not having a good morning, it just makes me want to destroy things."

"With your scissors?" Tori asked around a mouthful of cinnamon roll.

"Scissors… explosives… punting." Jade shrugged and took a roll for herself.

"Punting?"

"The kicking kind, not the kind that relates to boating," Jade said. "Obviously."

"No, I got that," Tori said. "I was just trying to figure out how _you_ knew what it meant."

"I have a father. He likes sports. Occasionally I'm in the same room with him while he watches them," Jade answered.

She drank the last of her juice and grabbed her school bag from the bench near the back door. "Let's go."

Tori quickly drank the last of her juice and followed Jade out into the foyer.

Jade hollered up the stairs, "We're leaving, Mom!"

There was a long silence, followed by what sounded like the slurping sucking of the suction machine, followed by a lot of hacking coughing. Then Annie said, a bit distractedly, "Okay, honey! Take a sweater!"

Tori looked at Jade.

"She doesn't really mean that," Jade said, and yanked open the front door.

"She sounded pretty serious."

"She's been telling everyone to take a sweater for six or seven years. I don't think she knows that I don't even _own_ a sweater."

The door closed behind them.

* * *

"And that brings us to the Three Acts-One Gun Rule," Sikowitz said, turning to write that information on the board. "Who did their reading? Anyone?"

The room was silent. Jade, who _had_ done the reading, felt far too apathetic to raise her hand. She looked around: Robbie, deep in some conversation with Rex; Cat, with her head tilted back, smiling at the ceiling; Andre, playing an invisible piano on his legs; Tori, looking confusedly at the teacher, who had started dancing a little; Sinjin, rocking back and forth in his seat as though he had water in his ears; and Beck, flipping through his Acting Theory textbook in search of the citation.

Finally Sikowitz grew tired of waiting and banged a fist against the white board. "Come on, young actors! _Someone_ did the reading! Robbie!"

Robbie's head jerked up, and he and Rex looked guiltily at Sikowitz. "Yes?"

"Can you explain the Three Acts-One Gun Rule?"

Rex looked back at Robbie. Robbie murmured, "Um, no."

"Did you do the reading?"

"Um, Rex had a date," Robbie said. "So, I _wanted_ to do the reading, but…"

"Sinjin!" Sikowitz yelled.

Sinjin responded by falling out of his chair and whacking his head on the floor.

"Good Gandhi, didn't _anyone_ do the reading?"

The bell rang before Sikowitz could get an answer; the students piled out the door, attempting not to step on Sinjin, who was still sprawled on the floor.

Jade had just opened her locker when her phone rang. She was going to ignore it, but one glance at the Caller ID urged her to pick it up. "Hi, Mom."

"Hey, sweetie," Annie said. "Hey, don't worry, but…"

"Mom, there's no way you can say that series of words and think I _won't_ worry," Jade informed her.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know Evie and I are on our way back to Greer."

"Oh, damn it, Mom, really?" Jade leaned her head against her locker, trying to quell the urge to bang it.

"I know, honey, but she was really struggling. And honestly, she needs to be there. Hey, I've got to go, we're pulling in, but…"

The conversation was cut off abruptly. Jade stared down at her phone.

The bell rang and the hallways were flooded with students hurrying to their classes. Jade looked around in desperation. As the kids streamed past, she finally caught sight of Tori. She slammed her locker shut and ran across the hallway. She grabbed Tori by the strap of her school bag. "Hey."

Tori whirled around, with Jade still mostly-attached to her bag. "Yeah?"

"Do you still have your car keys?"

"Well, I was supposed to give them to Trina, but…"

"Okay, good. I need you to drive me somewhere."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N**: I was going to write something melodramatic about how reviews sustain me or some lie like that, but I'm actually having a string of really good days (*hopes she hasn't jinxed herself*). So I'll just say that reviews are nice and I really do enjoy receiving them! Thanks to everyone reading, even if you don't review. :)

* * *

Tori had scarcely put the car into "park" before Jade was throwing the door open, grabbing the bag of Evie's things she'd packed at the house, and scrambling towards the Emergency Room doors. Tori turned off the car and got out, locking it with the remote as she hurried after Jade.

Inside the ER was bustling with medical personnel. Jade had a wild, panicked look on her face that Tori had never seen before, and it frightened her a little. Tori grabbed the first nurse she saw. "We're trying to find out about someone who was just admitted," she said.

"Information desk," the nurse said, pointing.

Tori took Jade by the elbow and steered her over to the information desk. "We're trying to find out about someone who was just admitted," Tori repeated.

"Method?"

"Excuse me?"

"Were they a walk-in or a ride-in?" the clerk asked.

Tori looked at Jade.

"I think they were a ride-in," Jade said slowly. "But I'm not sure."

The clerk took a big notebook from the wire rack on the counter and flipped through it. "Do you know the patient's primary doctor?"

"Um, Dr. Hastings."

"Patient's last name?"

"West."

More flipping. Finally the clerk said, "As far as I can tell they're still in triage. Why don't you have a seat in the waiting area and we'll page you if there's any news?"

"No, no, I have to find them," Jade said.

"Jade," Tori said quietly.

"Ma'am, there's really nothing else we can tell you," the clerk said firmly but not unkindly. "Until the patient is transferred to released there will be no more information."

"But she might be _dying_," Jade said. The words flew through the air without her consent and she wondered if she'd been thinking them for longer than the half-second they had taken to air. She clapped her hand to her mouth as though she could prevent them from reaching her ears, but it was too late. The effect was nearly immediate, and tears filled her eyes.

"Tell you what," the clerk said, seemingly having a change of heart. "I'll check with the charge nurse and give you an update."

She caught sight of an orderly. "Manny! I need you to check on the patient who came in on Rig Forty."

"Sure thing," the orderly said, and disappeared behind two swinging doors.

"He's one of our best," the clerk said.

"Thank you," Tori said.

In a moment Manny was back. "The patient's been taken up to the OR. Do you ladies know where the OR waiting room is?"

"We'll find it," Tori said.

"Head right up to the third floor and take a right," Manny said helpfully. "You can wait there until there's more news."

"Thanks," Tori said.

Gently she led Jade away from the information desk. Jade was having a hard time breathing; it felt like she was being stabbed in the chest. Tears were rolling down her face.

"Jade, I don't know what to say," Tori said. "I just…"

"Please don't say anything," Jade said. It seemed to take her an eternity to speak each word. "Please… just don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere," Tori said, and the elevator dinged as it arrived. "Not even if you insult me."

* * *

Annie was in the OR waiting room with her head bowed, nearly touching her knees. Wordlessly Jade broke free from Tori's elbow-grasp, practically sprinting across the room. She fell to her knees in front of her mother, dropping Evie's suitcase on the floor, grabbing her mother's hands in her own.

"Oh, Jadey," Annie said in a strangled voice.

"Mom," Jade said. "Mom, I just want it to be over."

"Oh, me too, sweetie," Annie said. "Me too."

* * *

Some time later, Jade and Tori sat next to Annie, listlessly watching the comings and goings of families and OR personnel. Each time a nurse stepped into the waiting room they held their collective breath, waiting for the nurse who would call their name, the only name they were listening for. But each time it was not to be – for several hours there was no news.

Jade clung to her mother's hand and tried to think of things to say. She and Tori had spent some time sending text messages to each of their friends, letting them know the reason for their abrupt departure from school. Annie had attempted to get Kent on the phone; he had gone to Las Vegas for a business trip and seemed to be perpetually out of the range of his cell phone.

"What do you think they're _doing?"_ Jade asked for the fifth or sixth time, after they had been in the waiting room for nearly five hours.

"I don't know," Annie said.

"Bronchs don't take this long," Jade said. "Even if they decided to do her sinuses while she was under, they don't take this long."

"Sweetie, I can't tell you," Annie said. "I've been sitting here just like you have."

From the depths of the suitcase Jade had brought to the hospital, a phone beeped. Jade and Tori looked at each other, confused, attempting to place the sound. At last Jade recognized Evie's text message notification sound, and she rummaged around in the bag, looking for the phone.

"It's from Halley," Jade said as she flipped open the phone.

Quickly she read Halley's text message and sent back one: **This is Evie's sister Jade. Evie is back at Greer and she's in the OR right now. We haven't heard anything in about five hours. I'll let you know as soon as we find out what's going on.**

The message flew across space and time, and shortly thereafter there was a response. **I am inpatient at Greer in the step-down onc unit. I will come down to OR waiting and sit with you.**

**You don't have to do that.**

**I know I don't.**

Ten minutes later, the elevator dinged and its doors opened, admitting Halley to the OR waiting room. She was dressed casually in yoga pants and a blue T-shirt, with a matching bandanna covering her bald head. She rolled an IV stand alongside her and wore a bright blue mask over her mouth and nose. Immediately she found Jade and hurried over. "Did you hear anything yet?" she asked, her voice a little muffled by the mask.

"Not yet," Jade said. "Mom, this is Halley. She and Evie met last time Evie was inpatient."

"Oh, hello," Annie said, a little distractedly.

"And this is Tori," Jade said. "We both go to school with Evie."

Before Halley could reply, a nurse in Mickey Mouse scrubs stepped into the waiting room. "West?" she called.

Annie and Jade were out of their seats so fast that Halley nearly fell over. Tori held out a stabilizing arm, and Halley took a seat in Jade's vacated chair.

"We're here," Annie said, and the nurse came over.

"Okay," she said, flipping pages on her clipboard. "In about ten minutes your patient will be up in recovery. She's being transferred to PICU as soon as a bed's available for her. Dr. Hastings and Dr. Clarence will be up in recovery to talk to you about her case."

"How is she?" Annie asked, reaching out to hold onto the nurse's arm.

"Says she's stable," the nurse said, reading the answer from her chart.

"But that could mean anything," Annie said. "Realistically, I mean. She has CF. Stable could mean that she's breathing on her own, or…"

The nurse looked up from the clipboard, her eyes filled with compassion. "I was just up there," she said. "Your daughter is on a ventilator and we're letting the vent do the work for her. She's had a rough time and she crashed twice during the bronch. Right now she's on broad-spectrum antibiotics and a hefty dose of painkillers. Dr. Hastings has also recommended that we start the IPV. Are you familiar with that?"

"Yes," Annie said.

"Is that the machine that does the percussion therapy while she's on the vent?" Jade asked.

"Mm-hmm," Annie said.

"Dr. Hastings has a lot to talk to you about," the nurse said. "I have to get back up to recovery, but I wanted to let you know how things were going."

"Thank you," Annie said.

The nurse gave them a small smile and a nod, and then left the waiting room.

Annie turned to Jade and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "What's our family motto?" she asked.

"'Fun-size candy is fine and dandy'?" Jade replied.

"Well, okay, that's _one_ of our mottoes," Annie said, giving Jade a smile. "But I was thinking of another one."

And Jade found herself returning the smile, though she could think of nothing to smile about at the moment.

"CF is rough but we are tough," Jade said to her mother.

"Damn straight," Annie said, and she took a deep breath. "Let's get Evie's stuff and regroup. While I'm blabbering with the doctors, you can go in and make our girl comfortable."

"Okay," Jade said. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever get tired of being tough?"

"Oh, sweetie," Annie said with a sigh. "I'd give anything, _anything_… just to have one day where I can be weak and girly. But you know the enemy. We have to be Evie's army for when she can't fight."

"Okay," Jade said again. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I wish our enemy was the kind we could fire bullets at."

"Me too. The entire state of California would be out of bullets. And bomb-making materials…"


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: **I hope you enjoy this chapter - there will be another one soon. Apparently having to deal with bureaucrats and pharmacists inspires me to write. Who knew? Anyway, enjoy! :)

* * *

"Jadey, I'm going to get some coffee," Annie said. "Plus, I think my butt's asleep. Need to walk around."

"Okay," Jade said, shifting in her chair.

"Do you want anything from the cafeteria?"

"Umm… juice."

"What flavor?"

"Surprise me."

"Keep an eye on our Evie, okay?"

"Okay."

But it wasn't like Evie was doing anything that required attention. She was still unconscious, still on the ventilator. Nurses came in and out, checking her vitals and changing out IV fluids and medications. Respiratory therapists were in and out as well, using the IPV machine to get massive quantities of mucus out of Evie's lungs through a series of suction catheters attached to her endotracheal tube.

When Annie had gone, Jade opened Evie's suitcase and started taking things out. She removed Evie's Kermit and propped him up on Evie's right side, nestling him in close. Next came Evie's specially-designed fleecy hand splints. Jade gently opened Evie's fisted hands; they were so tight with the after-effects of anesthesia and pain-killers that Evie's fingernails had left little half-moon indentations in her palms. The splints would keep her hands, so definitely necessary for drawing, painting, sculpting, and the rest, open and loose.

"There you go," Jade said as she finished wrapping the fleecy Velcro strap around Evie's wrist. "And for our final act, something I think you'll really enjoy."

She knew it was odd, talking to her sister as though Evie was upright and conscious. But she did it effortlessly, unconsciously, because no matter Evie's consciousness status, she was still Jade's sister. And she was still Evie.

From the suitcase Jade retrieved Evie's iPod and two pairs of headphones. She plugged in the jack-splitter and attached the headphones to the splitter.

"What do you think, some Regina Spektor?" Jade asked Evie.

Evie's mechanical breathing and flickering eyelids served as the answer.

"Well, all right then," Jade said. She leaned in and put one pair of headphones over Evie's ears. "I know you enjoy your cuddling, so I thought I'd bring you some of that, too."

She shucked off her clunky boots and climbed over the side rail of Evie's bed. She snuggled up close to Evie and put her own headphones on. With some flicks of her fingers, she called up Evie's Regina Spektor playlist, and hit "shuffle."

When Annie returned, she found both of her girls sound asleep, identical headphones over their ears, completely oblivious to the sparkplug-shaped respiratory therapist getting cupfuls of mucus out of Evie's lungs.

* * *

Annie looked up as Jade and Beck entered Evie's room the next day after school. "Hello, Beck. It's good to see you again," she said with a smile.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. West," Beck said.

"How was school?"

"Well, Sikowitz got mad because we still couldn't tell him what the Three Acts-One Gun rule was, so he started throwing Ping-Pong balls at Sinjin, and then Sinjin had a panic attack and started screaming about birds, and…"

"Maybe we should just do the reading," Jade said.

"I thought you _did_ the reading," Beck said.

"Oh, I did," Jade said. "But you have to admit, Sinjin only has panic attacks like that on days when Sikowitz is truly at his best, and they're too much fun to miss."

"I'm glad to hear you did the reading," Annie said.

"How's Evie doing?" Jade asked, taking a seat and slinging her school bag to the floor.

"It's been an up and down day," Annie said, folding her newspaper crossword and setting it on her lap. "They came in and tried to extubate her this morning, but after about ten minutes she was seriously retracting and her lips went blue, so they stuck her back on the vent. She's been sleeping most of the day, which isn't surprising because her sats have been in the basement. But she's on some new antibiotics to kick whatever bug she's got, which is good. And I got ahold of your father, just to reassure him everything's okay and to convince him to not change his plans."

She shifted. "And Evie and I had a good long talk about several things, so I'm pleased with that. Have you told Beck about the Dream?"

"You mean that one where you dreamed I was a stack of buttered toast?" Beck asked Jade with a gentle grin.

"I told you never to speak of that!" Jade said with a scowl.

"No, although that's certainly a dream worth speaking about," Annie said, grinning. "Evie has been granted a Dream by the Grant a Dream Foundation. She's asked to go to the Harry Potter amusement park in Orlando."

"Really?" Beck asked. "That's awesome."

"And she also asked if she and her sister could bring some friends. So you're invited, obviously, Beck, and Cat, and Andre, and Robbie, and Tori," Annie said. "And of course myself and the handsome Mr. West."

Jade raised her eyebrows and gave Beck a little smirk.

"So we're going to go across the country to see Harry Potter," Annie said. "The Grant a Dream Foundation is going to make sure that at least one of the actors or actresses from the movies is there."

"Really?" Jade asked. "Evie didn't tell me _that_ part."

"She didn't know," Annie said. "And she doesn't need to know, so don't tell her, huh?"

"It'll be our secret," Jade said.

* * *

At the kitchen table a week later Jade did her math homework, typed up the rest of a one-act scene for Mr. Hewitt's class, and drank a glass of water. Then she logged onto her Slap page, updated her status, and flicked through a new album, featuring Cat's pictures of her grandmother's llamas.

Forty-eight llama pictures later, just when Jade was about to lose her will to live, her cell phone and the house phone rang at the same time. She scrambled for her bag, where her cell phone was, nearly fell off her chair, and skidded across the kitchen to grab the portable. "Hello?" she said into the house phone.

"Honey, it's me," Annie said. "Please don't worry, but…"

"Mom, we really have to talk about you saying those words," Jade said. Her cell phone rang in her hand.

"Oh, I know, sweetie," Annie said, sounding flustered. "Evie is getting prepped for surgery and I need you to call your father and get him home."

"What? Why?"

"Well, because he's in Las Vegas," Annie said a bit shortly.

"No, Mom, I know that," Jade said over the ringing of her cell phone. "Why is Evie going into surgery?"

"Oh, sweetie, they want to put in a trach," Annie said.

"What?" Jade dropped her cell phone; it skittered across the wooden floor.

"They can't successfully extubate her," Annie said, "and her left lung collapsed again. They would like to leave her on the vent to give her some help. She's got an ulcer in her mouth, and… sweetie, I would love to explain this to you fully, but I need to go sign the rest of the consent forms and then go down to the OR waiting room. Please call your father and ask him to come home."

"Okay, Mom," Jade said.

Annie hung up, and Jade put the portable back in its cradle, then grabbed her cell phone from the floor. Her screen blinked with messages – missed call, new voicemail.

The phone rang again as she was checking the voicemail. "Hello?"

"Did you get the scene done for Mr. Hewitt's class?" Cat asked in her typical abrupt manner.

"Um, yeah, but Cat, I have to…"

"I can't figure out how to get the ending done!" Cat wailed. "I don't _want_ to kill one of my characters off! I love them too much!"

"Cat, I really have to go," Jade said.

"You're just _saying_ that," Cat cried.

"No, Cat, I really mean it. They just took Evie into surgery and…"

"My God, Jade, why didn't you _tell_ me?" Cat demanded. "What are you still doing on the phone with me?"

And she hung up too.

"I have no idea," Jade said, shaking her head.

Her cell phone rang again. "Hi, Jade, it's Tori."

"Yes, I finished the scene for Hewitt's class and it's not my fault if you can't figure out how to kill off a character. I've got to call my father and get him home because Evie's in surgery and…"

"Jade, that's not what I'm calling about," Tori said, sounding affronted.

"Tori, can you drive me to the hospital?" Jade asked. "I know that's abrupt, but I really need to get there and I know for a fact that Beck is rehearsing with the men's a cappella group. And I promise you can talk to me about whatever it is that you wanted to talk about on the way there."

"Um, sure," Tori said. "Yeah. I can be there in about ten minutes."

"I'll be here," Jade said, and snapped her cell phone shut. She reached for the house phone, trying to remember what her father's cell phone number was. She couldn't remember being quite so flustered – she just wanted it to be over.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: **Well, I got on a roll... I was watching the first part of the first season of "Glee" and I really got on a roll. So here's another chapter. It would mean a lot if you review - thanks to everyone who's reading! More soon. :)

* * *

"Oh my God, Mom, she looks _horrible_," Jade said, putting one hand to her mouth.

"Jadey…"

"Have you ever seen her look like this?" Jade demanded.

"No, sweetheart, I haven't, but…"

"Even after that _car accident_ we were in, that time Pap-Pap rear-ended that vicious British woman, remember that? When we were on vacation in Massachusetts? She didn't look that bad _then_, Mom, and she had forty stitches on her _neck_."

"I know she looks bad right now, but she just came out of surgery," Annie said, putting one arm around Jade. "And you need to be strong for me, at least until your father gets here, because I have been watching her struggle to come off the vent for a week and a half, and I am running out of steam."

"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry, it's just…"

"Jadey, I know. She looks rough. But it's still Evie. Now, I have to go talk to Dr. Hastings, and then I have a meeting with the DME company about the equipment we're going to need when Evie comes home."

"They're going to send her _home?"_ Jade was horrified. There was no way Evie should leave the hospital if she looked like this. And she couldn't see any way Evie was going to look better.

"Honey, yes," Annie said. "Yes. We're bringing her home."

"And…" Jade could hardly get the words out. "And… the Dream? The trip?"

Annie faced Jade, and put both hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Honey, I swear to you, with God as my witness, we will take Evie to Harry Potter World. Even if we have to drive to Florida in a damn RV, we are _going_. I will make sure of that. Evie _will_ have her trip, her Dream, her memories. Okay? Now, please go in there and sit with your sister, and I'll be back in an hour and a half."

Jade was speechless for a moment. Then she recovered a bit. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"You're the strongest woman I know."

"I thought the strongest woman you knew was your Aunt Linda."

"Well, she's the only bodybuilder I know, but… everything you deal with… it just stuns me how much you do, all without complaining."

"I don't complain to _you_, my love," Annie said with a smile. "But me and God… and me and your father… and me and several of the night nursing staff – they'll tell you I'm not saint."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too." Annie squared her shoulders. "Say it with me."

She leaned in towards Jade and put her forehead against Jade's. And together, in the bustling hospital hallway, they whispered, "CF is rough but we are tough."

* * *

Evie blinked. The light was overwhelming. She closed her eyes, and squinted. There was something caught in her throat.

She tried to bring her hand up, to figure out what was stuck in her throat, but her hands wouldn't move.

She tried to say something, but it felt like her mouth was made of sandpaper.

Tears filled her eyes and she angrily tried to yank her hands up.

"Hey, hey," someone said. Evie didn't recognize the voice. "Hey, hey!"

Evie was scared, now. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, all of her body hurt.

There was a nurse in her face, two nurses, both with little penlights and syringes. "It's okay, it's okay," one of them was saying. "It's okay, please calm down."

"Get out of the way," a familiar voice said, and Jade shoved her way between the nurses. "Evie, listen to me. It's me. It's Jadey."

Evie opened her mouth but no words came out. She looked up at Jade, anguished. What was happening?

"Get out of here," Jade said to the nurses.

"We might have to sedate her," one nurse said.

"No. Screw that. Get out of here," Jade said.

The nurses, obviously unaccustomed to being treated so rudely, huffed out of the room.

"Thank God," Jade said, and slammed the door behind them.

She came back over to Evie's bed. "So here's the deal, Evie-kins," she said. "Your hands are tied down because you were on such massive doses of drugs that they were worried about ICU psychosis. Remember that? Remember when you tried to tell Mom that Great-Uncle Richard was in the room, even though you _knew_ he died two years ago?"

Evie did remember. Her whirling thoughts began to slow.

"Okay. Well, they didn't want you to hurt yourself. Remember when _that_ happened?"

Evie nodded.

"Okay. Okay, are you a little calmer?"

Evie nodded.

"Okay." Jade sat down on the end of Evie's bed and crossed her legs. "So your hands are in your splints. Do you remember what happened before you woke up?"

Evie nodded again.

"You couldn't come off the vent," Jade said. "Did they tell you they were going to put in a trach?"

Evie's eyes went wide.

"Okay, okay, calm down," Jade said, holding her hands up. "If your heart rate goes any higher they're going to come back in here."

She reached over and undid a series of straps holding Evie's hands to the bed rails, and then unwrapped the splints. "Whatever you do, don't yank it out."

Now that she had the freedom to do so, Evie couldn't bring herself to bring her hands up to her throat. She was scared.

"I know this sounds like absolute shit right now," Jade said, "but Mom says you're going to come home. And we are _definitely_ going to Harry Potter World. And you know that woman when she gets any sort of idea on repeat, yeah?"

Evie nodded.

Jade paused, obviously exhausted with the constant stream of talking she'd been doing. "Is your breathing any better?"

Evie had to stop and think about this. She had been so concerned with the situation that she hadn't even noticed that it wasn't such an effort to breathe. She nodded at Jade, wide-eyed.

"Well, that's good. Are you going to… do you want to…?"

She reached over to where her school bag was, and rummaged around. She pulled out a compact and opened it, then held it up in front of Evie.

Evie didn't know what to make of it. Sure enough, there was a tracheostomy tube protruding from her throat. And it was held in place by a light blue tie speckled with white stars. And it was attached to a long series of hoses that stretched down her body and over to a big ventilator next to the bed.

"It's not so bad," Jade said after a moment.

It really wasn't. Except for the fact that her throat hurt, and she was dizzy and thirsty…

"You want some water?" Jade asked.

_I love you_, Evie thought.

Jade got a cup of water from the bedside table, put a straw in it, flexed the straw, and guided it up to Evie's mouth. Evie sucked greedily.

"Okay, easy," Jade said. "If you puke and the nurses found out I let you drink, we're both in trouble."

She let Evie have another long drink, though, before she put the cup back on the table. Then she picked up a notebook and a pen. "Do you feel like writing?"

Evie nodded. She took the pen and put it to paper. _Why can't I talk?_ she wrote.

"Well, my guess would be surgical trauma," Jade said, "but I'm not a doctor. Also, the tube prevents air from going across your vocal cords."

She held up a pamphlet: "What You Need to Know About Your New Tracheostomy."

_Dear God_, Evie wrote.

"Yeah, I know. So dweebish," Jade said. "But it was great reading while you were in surgery."

_More water, please_, Evie wrote.

Jade brought up the cup again, and Evie drank thirstily. Then she picked up the pen again. _Jadey… is this the end?_

"The end of what?" Jade asked, reading the note.

_The end_, Evie wrote, and underlined it.

"No, no, Evie, no, it's not," Jade said, horrified. The words tumbled out of her mouth, even though she was unsure if the statement was truth or fiction. "No, it is _not_ the end. You are going to have this trach until you get your new lungs, and then it's buh-bye trach. You hear me?"

_I'm scared_, Evie wrote.

"Me too," Jade said. "Me too, Evie. I have never been more scared in my entire life, and that includes…"

Evie was scribbling: _The car crash with Pap-Pap and that frightening British woman?_

"Yeah," Jade said. "How did you know I was going to say that?"

_Because I had 40 stitches_, Evie wrote. _I thought I was going to die. I also thought Pap-Pap was going to die. At the hands of that British woman._

"Okay. Well, I'm more scared now than I was then," Jade said. "It scares me that you couldn't breathe, that you had to have surgery, that… it all scares me."

She turned herself around and propped herself up next to Evie. She put her arm around Evie's skinny shoulders and leaned her head onto Evie's shoulder. "But you know what doesn't scare me?"

_The amount of eyeliner you're wearing?_

"Oh, you're really funny," Jade said. "No, Gooey Lungs. What doesn't scare me is being your sister. Because I know it's going to continue being one of the most amazing rides ever. One that will, obviously, rival anything we see at Harry Potter World."

_I think you may be lying_.

"Okay, what if I am? What are you going to do about it?"

_Eat your mini-sized candy bars_.

"That's a good threat. But what if I just give them to you?"

_You would never do that._

"Times have changed."

_Since when?_

Jade reached down to the end of the bed and yanked her school bag up onto her lap. She removed a Ziploc baggie of mini-sized candy bars. "I know you like the Snickers," she said, "but try to save some for the rest of us."

She peeled open several Snickers bars and set them on Evie's lap. "And I must repeat the no-puking warning, okay? Those nurses aren't going to be happy with me."

_Your secret is safe with me_. Evie pinched one of the Snickers bars, brought it up to her mouth, and popped it in.

"Yummmm," she said.

Jade looked at Evie, surprised. "Did you just…?"

"Mmmmm," Evie said, enjoying the look on Jade's face. "Yummm."

The Snickers bar was the best thing Evie had ever tasted, minus the long drinks of water. She had never realized how many complex lovely flavors were contained within a tiny candy bar.

"Can you… can you say anything else?" Jade asked, a big smile on her face.

Evie swallowed the magical mouthful of delicious candy, and tested her voice. "Mmmm… more," she rasped out. It hurt like crazy but her voice sounded so wonderful.

"Greedy," Jade said, but she unwrapped several more Snickers bars for Evie.

"Yy… you… nnnn…" Evie managed to get out, but then her voice failed. She picked up the pen. _You never let me eat your candy bars. I might as well enjoy it._

"That's right, Gooey Lungs. Enjoy it while it lasts, because as soon as you're back to terrorizing the hallways of Hollywood Arts, I go back to finding new and interesting places to conceal these," Jade said, and snatched one of Evie's opened candy bars, popping it into her mouth as though that was the end of the story.

_The only one terrorizing the hallways at Hollywood Arts is __you_, Evie wrote, and ate another Snickers.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **So here's a short little chapter. More soon. Enjoy. :)

* * *

"Let's go for a walk," Jade said, looking in at Evie. "Once around the block?"

"I'm tired," Evie said.

"I know you are," Jade said. "Once around the block and we'll come back."

Evie sighed. She had been released from the hospital following two up-and-down weeks of respiratory therapy and ventilator weaning, but almost fourteen days spent completely in bed had left her weak and irritated. She had returned to school only that day, in her wheelchair, with a portable ventilator on the back of the chair for when she needed a break from breathing. "Jadey…"

"Mom asked me to do this," Jade said.

"_Jadey…"_

"And there'll be Chinese food for us when we get back. And your friend Tori's coming to talk the walk with us."

"She's your friend too," Evie said.

"Yeah, sure."

"She is," Evie said.

"Where are your shoes?" Jade asked.

"Down by the back door," Evie replied.

"I'll go get your shoes if you come downstairs," Jade said.

Evie groaned.

"I don't want to go walk around the block either," Jade said. "Especially since that creepy kid I don't want to date is home from his 'special' boarding school. But let's go."

Evie rolled her eyes and scooted off the bed.

Jade went down the stairs quickly, leaving Evie to scoot along behind her. When Evie reached the kitchen Jade was there with her tennis shoes, and Tori was talking to Annie. "Sure, I love sweet and sour chicken," Tori said.

"Please don't order from that wacky lady who backed my play," Jade said.

"Never," Annie said.

"Hey, Evie," Tori said, turning to her friend.

"Hi, Tori," Evie said.

"I hear we're going out for a stroll," Tori said.

"Apparently," Evie said.

"Jade, will you take this casserole pan over to Mrs. Gillman?" Annie asked, rummaging around in a cabinet.

"Mom, no," Jade said. "I refuse to go over there."

"But I borrowed it for your father's last business dinner, and I haven't had time to run over there and return it, what with all the excitement around here," Annie said. "Plus, I know how much you like Andy Gillman."

"Mom, _no!"_ Jade protested. "I _hate_ Andy Gillman! He has a terrible crush on me!"

"He got sent to a 'special' boarding school," Evie said to Tori as she put on her left shoe. "In Wyoming. Where he makes his own fire."

"I hear he's home on a break," Annie said, putting the pan on the counter.

"Aww, Jade, you could go on a date," Tori said with a grin.

"Shut it, Vega," Jade growled.

"At least leave it on their porch," Annie said.

Jade stomped into the mudroom and retrieved Evie's wheelchair. She brought it back into the kitchen, picked up Evie's portable ventilator and the portable suction machine, and set them on the seat. "Hook yourself up," she said to Evie.

"Have fun, girls," Annie said. "There'll be food and a movie when you get back."

She went into the laundry room. Evie took off her speaking valve, turned the ventilator on, and attached the vent tubing to her trach. "Okay," she said.

Together they went carefully down the front porch. Jade carried the wheelchair down the two steps and set it in front of Evie. Evie took the handles and stepped forward, and they were off.

"You forgot the casserole pan," Evie said as they reached the end of the front walk and turned down the sidewalk.

"I'm not going over there," Jade said. "Andy Gillman got sent to that place for a reason."

For the next hundred yards or so, they simply concentrated on walking. For Evie each step took effort; she was grateful for the ventilator's breathing as she pushed the wheelchair before her for stability.

"We're going to have to do plenty of walking at Harry Potter World," Jade pointed out as they reached the first corner and made a turn.

"Yeah, because I'm pretty sure Hogsmeade isn't wheelchair-accessible," Evie said, rolling her eyes.

"Is anybody in those books in a wheelchair?" Jade shot back.

"In Harry Potter's world they've probably figured out how to cure CF," Evie said.

Jade could find no retort for that. They walked on in silence.

"Have we figured out how we're getting to Florida?" Tori asked after a few moments.

"According to Mom we're taking an RV," Evie said.

"Flying became out of the question when Evie acquired the neck jewelry," Jade said. "Or, at least, it became a lot harder."

"Plus I think Dad's always wanted to drive an RV," Evie added. "He has trucker fantasies."

"A road trip will be fun," Tori said.

"Uh-huh. Two whole days in an enclosed space with Robbie and his puppet," Jade said. "And Cat and her perpetual good moods."

"You just have to tell her that you're not playing cards for money anymore," Evie said, steering the wheelchair over a patch of gravel with care. To Tori she said, "Jade and Cat used to play cards for money when we would go on vacation… Jade keeps thinking she's going to win."

"Cat's a card shark," Jade protested. "Her uncle – not the one that soaks his feet in chicken fat, but another one – is a _professional gambler."_

"No one's a professional gambler," Tori said. "Except guys in Mob movies."

"Cat's uncle is," Evie said. "He plays on the poker tour, the one they show on TV at like three in the morning. His name is Rocko."

"No one's name is _Rocko_," Tori said.

"Well, if you want to break Cat's heart, tell her that," Jade suggested.

She grew abruptly silent as they passed a big green Victorian house with a minivan parked out front.

"Wave to Mrs. Gillman," Evie said cheerily as they passed. "She's at her Peeping Tom Window."

She raised a hand from her wheelchair and waved to Mrs. Gillman.

"Evie," Jade hissed.

"Just keep walking," Evie said, still smiling.

They passed the Gillmans' house without incident, and turned when they reached the corner. They spent the rest of the walk in companionable silence, and when they returned to the Wests' Beck's car was in the driveway. The teenager in question was leaning against the car.

"He looks like something out of a movie," Evie panted as they came up the driveway. "Like _Grease_ or something."

"Hi," Jade said, giving Beck a kiss.

"Hey," Beck said. "What's with the parade?"

"Mom made us go on a march before we could have Chinese food," Evie said.

"Gotta build up your strength for Hogwarts," Beck said.

"I thought I'd just have you carry me everywhere," Evie said as she pushed her chair up the driveway.

Beck considered this.

"Don't even think about it," Jade said.

"I'm not carrying _you_ everywhere," Beck pointed out.

The group went up the front steps and into the house. Annie was in the kitchen pulling out plates and silverware. "Jade," she said, "you forgot to take the casserole pan to Mrs. Gillman. Hello, Beck."

"Hi, Mrs. West," Beck said. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh, no, dear. We're almost ready to eat." She pointed to the casserole pan. "I told you to take it…"

"Mom," Jade interrupted, "I am not going over to see Mrs. Gillman or anyone in her house."

"But we waved," Evie said, taking a seat in her wheelchair. "We definitely waved."

"I'll run it over later," Annie said, and opened the fridge to pull out sodas and juice.

"Oh, is Andy Gillman home for the weekend?" Beck asked, turning to smile at Jade.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," Jade said in a low voice.

"I just think it's sweet," Beck said. "I mean, the guy has a real crush on you, and he's got all these fantastic outdoors skills. I'm just an actor, but Andy Gillman can hunt, track, trap, kill, and cook you a dinner, all with his bare hands and some sticks."

"Andy Gillman never takes a shower," Jade said.

"There's nowhere to take a shower in the back woods of Wyoming," Evie said.

"He can't bathe in one of those clear mountain streams?"

"It's harder to track wild pigs if you're clean," Beck said, and gave Jade a kiss.

"I'm ever so glad you know that," Jade said. "I'm so glad, I won't even ask _how_ you know that."

"Dinner," Annie said. "I'm sorry it's just Chinese food."

"You should invite Andy Gillman over next time," Evie said as she pushed her wheelchair into the living room. "He'll bring some succulent wild pig."

"Oh, shut up, Evie," Jade said, but there was no malice in her tone.

Evie grinned. "I love you too, Jadey."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: **Enjoy!

* * *

That Thursday evening the Wests came to get Tori at six-thirty. She had gone through several outfit changes before deciding on a bright green dress with black embroidery on the hem and bodice, along with matching black cloth shoes.

"You look fancy," Holly Vega said as Tori came down the stairs.

"Thanks," Tori said.

"Take your camera," Holly said. "I know your father and I will want to see some pictures when you get back."

The doorbell rang, and Tori hurried over to pick up her purse and cell phone.

"Have fun," Holly said. "Call us on the way home, okay?"

"Sure. Bye, Mom."

Tori opened the door to find Jade standing there, dressed in a casually understated flowing black dress. "Let's go, Vega."

"And a good evening to you too, Jade."

"Yeah, yeah."

The van was packed with folks in fancy dress – Evie, Annie and Kent West, Beck, and Ms. Santiago. The whole vehicle was crowded with ribbon and shiny fabric and finery. "Hello, Tori," Annie said, giving Tori a smile. "We're so pleased you could join us."

"Um, thank you," Tori said. "I'm happy to come along."

"Get in the van," Jade said from behind Tori.

Beck gave Tori a smile and reached out a hand to help her climb into the van. Once she was in her seat, strapped in next to Evie and her medical equipment, Kent put the van into gear and they pulled away from the curb.

"Should we put on some traveling music?" Annie asked.

"No, Mom, not the showtunes," Jade said.

"Jadey, you used to _love_ my showtunes," Annie said.

"No one loved your showtunes, Mom," Evie said.

"Where is the fund-raiser being held, Mrs. West?" Tori asked.

"Oh, it's at this great new funky restaurant downtown," Annie said. "Kent's been there for a business dinner."

"And I couldn't stand it," Kent said as he slowed down for a red light. "It's one of those goofy fusion places. Who's ever heard of Old English pub food mixed with Creole cooking?"

"That does sound weird," Beck said.

"Not necessarily," Ms. Santiago said. "Back in Quebec – that's where I'm from – my brother's dating a girl who works at an Ethiopian-Russian fusion. I don't know why, but it's the most popular restaurant in the area."

"I like plain and simple food," Kent said. "You know, hamburgers. Steak. Chicken fingers."

"You have the taste of a twelve-year-old, dear," Annie said.

"I don't like fancy food. Nothing with sauces. Nothing that has to be arranged on a plate. No vegetables with chocolate. I don't understand all these foofy little entrees – four bites of food is not an entrée!" Kent smacked his hand against the steering wheel. "If I pay good money for food, I want to be eating more of it than four bites! A side dish is not a teaspoon of mashed potatoes!"

"At Bella Fina they gave me more potatoes than I could eat," Evie said. "Andre had to eat the rest of them for me."

"That was an abnormally large amount of potatoes," Tori agreed. "I think Andre had to eat mine, too."

"Trina ate the rest of my dessert," Beck said. "Without asking me."

"She ate mine, too," Jade said acidly.

"And then she got wickedly sick later," Tori said. "She forced John Benson to make an entire pitcher of peach smoothies, and she drank _all_ of them."

"Good," Jade said.

The Cat and the Fiddle was bursting with people and jazz music played by what sounded like a brass quartet. Kent parked the van in a handicapped spot and got out to retrieve Evie's wheelchair from the trunk. He lifted her out of the captain's chair in the van and settled her in the wheelchair, putting her ventilator on the seat next to her.

Evie smoothed the pink-and-black tulle skirt of her dress and tugged at the black bodice. She looked up at Tori, who had climbed out of the van behind her. "Can you see my central line?"

"No," Tori said honestly.

"Good," Evie said.

Tori pushed Evie's chair towards the restaurant entrance. Jade and Beck followed behind, holding hands, and behind them Annie and Kent carried the rest of Evie's medical equipment. Ms. Santiago bobbed along in their wake, looking cheerful about the whole adventure.

At the door the party was greeted by a cheerful dark-haired woman in a teal sequined dress. "Welcome to The Cat and the Fiddle!" she exclaimed, as Annie handed her their tickets. "I'll take you to your table!"

As she led them into the restaurant she turned back towards them, chattering the whole time. "I'm Marlene Halloran. My son is Clay – have you met him? He'll be here tonight, later. He went to pick up his girlfriend Lane. She goes to Sherwood, they both do, they're your age. Where do you kids go to school? "

"Hollywood Arts," Beck, Tori, Jade, and Evie said together.

"Oh, well, I've heard great things about that place! This is your table! Please, sit! I'll get the waiter over to take your drink orders!" Marlene chirped. "Such a pleasure to meet you all! I'll make sure my Clay gets over to say hi!"

"Make sure he wears a mask," Annie said, putting a hand on Marlene's elbow.

At this Marlene's face fell a little. "Um, I'm sorry?"

"Well, if your son is a CF patient who's as old as my daughter, then you doubtlessly know that when CF patients get together, there's…"

Marlene interrupted her there. "My son's not a CF patient," she said in a tone that was almost rude. "He's just normal."

"Uh-oh," Beck said under his breath.

It was obviously the right utterance, because a second later Jade had stepped up close to the woman, her face set in an angry expression. "Um, _excuse_ me? You think having CF means somebody's not normal?"

"I didn't… I mean…"

"Listen," Jade said. "My sister might be in a wheelchair now, breathing on a ventilator through a tracheotomy, but she is absolutely normal. She's an artist, she's a fund-raiser, and she is most _definitely_ more normal than someone who pretends to be all nice and then turns around and turns out to be a huge bitch!"

"Well, I think…"

"I don't care what you think," Jade went on. "What the hell are you doing at a fund-raising event for people with CF? Are you trying to just be a show-off, trying to look good for your friends in the Junior League? They're really going to think you're just _so amazing_ for trying to help these poor little sick kids who can't breathe, is that it?"

"I don't…"

"You don't look amazing," Jade said bluntly. "You look like an asshole. It's not only an honor for my sister to be here, it's a privilege. She's supposed to be dead right now, because usually these poor little sick kids stop breathing before they get to her age. So when you go back to your dumb-ass Junior League friends, you tell them that you made a fool of yourself in front of the star of the evening."

Marlene looked down at Evie. "Um, so you're…?"

"That's right. This is Evie West. She's the speaker this evening. And now you feel like the biggest asshole in the building – which is good, because that's exactly what you are."

Tori looked over at Annie and Kent; they looked as shocked as she felt. But neither of them said anything.

"So get us some drinks and then get the hell away from us," Jade said.

The woman scrambled away from them.

"Honey, I've never really approved of your methods, but you certainly do know how to turn a phrase," Annie said.

"Thanks, Jadey," Evie said softly.

"Let's take a seat, shall we?" Ms. Santiago said. "Wouldn't want to make a bigger spectacle."

Grateful for something to do, the group pulled chairs around the lacquered black table and sat awkwardly.

"Did you finish your speech?" Tori asked Evie as she sat down beside her friend.

"Oh, yeah," Evie said. "I had some extra time in study hall after the fire drill."

"There was a fire drill?" Annie asked as she hung her purse on the back of her chair.

"Sikowitz pulled the alarm," Jade said.

"He said it was a very special drive-by acting exercise," Tori said. "The prompt was – you're all freaking out because there's a fire in the school!"

"To be fair, we all did really well with that part," Beck said.

A waiter came over, blessedly free from Marlene. He took their orders and headed back to the kitchen. The waiter had barely been gone five minutes when two sharply dressed people, a man and a woman, approached the table.

"Evie! You're looking wonderful!" the woman said, and swept Evie into a big hug.

"Hey there, Kent," the man said, and the men shook hands.

"Hi, Carol," Evie said, grinning. She released the woman and leaned back in her wheelchair. "Tori, Beck, Ms. Santiago, this is the president and vice-president of the Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Carol and Matt Erickson. Carol, Matt, this is my sister's boyfriend, Beck, my friend Tori, and my art teacher, Alicia Santiago."

There was a flurry of hand-shaking and hugs; Evie beamed up at them all with flushed cheeks.

"Really, we're thrilled to have you here," Carol said to Evie. "I think everyone will really love your speech."

"And what about this band, huh?" Matt said, gesturing to the brass quartet, which had launched into a jazzed-up version of Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You."

"They're certainly… peppy," Evie said.

"You save a dance for me, huh? After dinner," Matt said to Evie. "But just one, or my wife might get jealous."

"Of course," Evie said with a smile. "I'd be honored to."

The Ericksons swept off to greet other guests, and soon the fundraiser was underway. A local TV weatherman with too much product in his hair was introduced as the emcee for the evening, and he went gamely through the motions for both the silent and live auctions, instructing people on where to get bidding slips and auction catalogs. In between that he introduced numbers from the brass quartet, made jokes about the food, and answered questions on what it was like to be a famous local TV weatherman.

Throughout the meal, Tori kept looking over at Jade, and it really was true: she hadn't stopped smiling since she'd told off Marlene. Gently Tori nudged Evie. "I didn't think it was possible for Jade to smile that much," she said.

"I know, right?" Evie beamed as she attempted to get a green bean onto her fork. "It's a good thing we take pictures at this thing – otherwise I'd think it was a dream."

"She just looks… happy," Tori said. "And not the usual kind of happy, where you know she's just said something horrible to someone."

"It's awesome," Evie agreed.

Carol took the stage as the guests were finishing up their dinner, and said, "We'll have dessert after the keynote address. At this time we are still accepting bids for the silent auction. Please see a CF foundation representative to fill out a bidding slip. Remember, we have lots of great prizes, including a weekend in Tuscany, cooking lessons with Chef Michel du Montpelier, and a kayak signed by world kayaking champion Andrea Winston."

"Did you know there were world kayaking championships?" Annie asked the table.

"It seems like the kind of thing there should be," Evie said.

"I mean, they have world surfing championships and even televised Scrabble championships," Beck agreed. "Kayaking should be up there too."

"Guess I never really thought of kayaking as a sport that required competition," Annie said. "It always seemed very… private. Subdued."

"Are you sure you're thinking of kayaking, Mom? And not… I don't know… knitting?" Jade asked.

"Oh, well, knitting is subdued," Annie said.

Carol finished her speech and stepped off the stage. She came over to where Evie was sitting. "You ready, girlfriend?"

Evie gave the older woman a small smile. "I guess so."

She turned to Tori. "Is there anything in my teeth?"

"No."

"Good," Evie said. She opened her tiny pink purse and rummaged around until she found her speaking valve for her tracheotomy tube. "Mom, will you suction, please?"

"Sure," Annie said, putting a bite of salad in her mouth. She wiped her mouth and fingers, then opened the suction bag on Evie's chair. Snapping on a glove, she picked up the suction catheter.

Evie disconnected herself from the ventilator and allowed Annie to suction out her tracheotomy tube. "Okay, good," she said a bit breathlessly when the catheter was removed. She placed her speaking valve on the end of her trach tube. "Good?"

"Good," everyone at the table said.

"Give 'em heck, dollface," Carol said to Evie.

"You tell 'em, Evie," Jade said.

The local weatherman was at the podium again. "It is my distinct honor to present our keynote speaker for the evening, Evelyn West."

"Evelyn?" Tori said to Evie, grinning.

"It makes me sound like a grandma," Evie said.

"It's just very dignified," Tori said.

"And I'm not?"

"I didn't say that."

"… she is a student at Hollywood Arts High School, where her focus is on visual arts. She's a talented painter, sculptor, and photographer. She created a series of paintings that will be auctioned off during the live auction tonight. She loves miniature sized candy bars…"

Jade looked over at Evie. Evie grinned.

"… pop music, hanging out with her friends, and reruns of the TV show 'Golden Girls.' She's wildly talented, extremely expressive, and, oh yes, she happens to have cystic fibrosis! Please give a warm Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation welcome to Evelyn West!"

It was cheesy and goofy, but the audience responded as if the weatherman had just introduced Ricky Martin. Evie stood a bit unsteadily and headed towards the stage.

The applause continued throughout her entire walk onto the stage, and didn't end until Evie had been embraced by the local weatherman and was standing in front of the podium.

Evie, pink-faced and grinning, looked out over the crowd. Tori gave her a thumbs-up.

"Good evening, members of the Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and honored guests. I'm Evelyn West, but the only person who calls me Evelyn is my great-grandmother Ma-Maw. So you can just call me Evie."

The audience laughed, and propped up by their enthusiasm, Evie continued. "I'd like to tell you that everything that Flip Spiceland, local TV weatherman, said about me is true. I do go to Hollywood Arts High School, where I do study art… I have a passion for miniature sized candy bars and 'Golden Girls.' But I'm not sure if I'd describe myself as wildly talented. Maybe just stubborn.

"People ask me how I live with cystic fibrosis. To me that's a weird question. I don't know any other life than the one life I've got – and that life happens to be one with cystic fibrosis. For me that sometimes means a life filled with hospital stays, contact precautions, chest X-rays, bronchoscopies, and extended sessions of chest-clearing respiratory physical therapy. Is it a tough life? I'd love to say no, but that's really a lie. Life with CF is hard, it's grueling, and it's definitely not for wussies."

More laughter from the audience.

"And while my life has been full of heartbreak and disappointment, it's also been full of love and experiments and fun. I have a wonderful big sister who is my role model, my confidant, and one of my rocks. I have the best teachers in the world at Hollywood Arts, including Alicia Santiago, my painting teacher, who is here this evening. I have great friends and great family – and they try to make everything accessible for me. I am so grateful for all the sacrifices they've made to get me where I am."

Deep breath, and continuing. "Another big part of my life with cystic fibrosis is educating others about my life with cystic fibrosis. There are a lot of people out there who have never heard of CF, and it's my goal to educate as many of those people as possible. It's also obviously your goal too, or you wouldn't be here.

"Some people ask me if I'm trying to educate people about the need for a cure. Well, yes, that's obviously in there too. I do want a cure. Someday I'd like to tell my grandchildren about a mythical disease called cystic fibrosis that once affected me and lots of other people like me. But what I'd like while we're working on the cure is a network of compassion. Doctors, nurses, therapists, insurance providers, equipment manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies – I'd like them to understand what it's like for a fifteen-year-old girl… or really anybody… to live with a chronic illness. It's a lot of medicine, a lot of equipment, a lot of time invested on my part and on the part of my caretakers. And life shouldn't be a struggle to get necessary medical coverage or equipment. I've got a life to live and so do my parents! I can say almost certainly that my parents would like less fighting with insurance providers and more cuddling and watching 'CSI.'"

Laughter from the audience.

"So yes – I am a person with cystic fibrosis. I'm also an artist, a little sister, somebody's daughter, and a _huge_ fan of Justin Bieber."

More laughter.

"Being part of the Hollywood Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ensures that all parts of my life are visible to the world… and that, someday, they'll be the only parts that exist."

Evie smiled. "Thank you for your time."

The applause swept up through the restaurant. People were on their feet, cheering. Evie gripped the edge of the podium, beaming but exhausted.

Jade slipped out of her seat and went up onstage. Gently she pried Evie's hands from the podium, wrapped her arm around her sister, and together they went back to their seats, to the resounding ringing of applause.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: **I apologize for the huge delay between chapters. I had my appendix out and spent some time in the hospital, and then spent the next two weeks trying to catch up on homework! Now I'm on spring break, so I'd like to give you another chapter by the weekend. But until then, enjoy this. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - I'm so glad you're all onboard! :)

* * *

The next Hollywood Arts kick-back party was held on the Friday before spring break started. The parking lot was buzzing with activity when Annie West dropped Jade and Evie off. "Have fun, girls," she said. "I'll pick you up at eleven."

"Okay, bye, Mom," Evie said as Jade got out to grab her wheelchair and medical supplies. "Have fun packing the RV."

"Oh, you know it," Annie said. "And you know your father – he thinks we're leaving at five a.m."

"Yeah, right," Jade said, helping Evie out of the van.

"No way," Evie agreed.

"We'll see," Annie said with a smile.

Jade closed the van door and Annie drove off. Evie looked up at Jade. "There's no way we'll leave at five. Heck, all my treatments take at least an hour, and we've still got to pick everybody up."

"Dad likes sleeping just as much as everybody else," Jade said.

Sikowitz was in the middle of the parking lot at a big table, rolling out strips of dough and fashioning them into doughnuts, which he threw quickly into a big fryer. "Hello, ladies!" he said when he saw Jade and Evie. "Freshly-made doughnut?"

"Yum, sure," Evie said.

"I made them myself," Sikowitz said, as though this wasn't obvious. "From my old family recipe."

Jade took two doughnuts off the table and handed one to Evie. They took bites, chewing thoughtfully. "Mmm," Jade said.

"Two thumbs up," Evie agreed.

"I'll tell my grandfather you enjoyed them!" Sikowitz said, and laughed cheerfully, going on with his doughnut-making.

The girls split up, then, going off their separate ways. Jade searched the area for Beck, and found him. Andre and Beck were sitting at one of the tables, playing checkers. Jade sat down next to Beck and gave him a kiss. "Hello."

"You taste like doughnuts," Beck said. He leaned forward and jumped one of Andre's pieces.

"Are we going to dance?" Jade asked softly.

"Once I beat Andre."

"No way!" Andre protested. He thoughtfully considered the pieces still on the board.

"How's the packing coming?" Beck asked Jade as Andre scanned the board.

"Mom's going crazy," Jade said. "There's stuff everywhere. Dad's still trying to figure out how to get it all in the RV."

"It's going to be an awesome trip," Andre said, moving one of his checkers forward. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Where's Evie?" Beck asked.

Jade scanned the crowd. "Over with Tori and Robbie," she said at last.

"She looks good," Beck said.

"She's been really happy this week," Jade said. "It confuses me a little."

"What, that somebody's happy? You know what happy means. It's that thing where people smile, and…"

"Not the happiness, you doof," Jade said, punching him lightly in the arm. "It's like… a lightness. Like she's given up on something, but in a happy sort of way. I don't know that I like it."

The music pumping through the area turned slow and meaningful. Beck turned to look at Andre. "I'll beat you after this song," he said. "Give you a little longer to consider your move."

"Thanks," Andre said with only a hint of sarcasm.

Beck took Jade by the hand and led her down to the open expanse of blacktop that was the parking lot. As the music pumped and soared, Jade leaned against him and they swayed back and forth.

"You smell good," Jade murmured into Beck's shoulder.

"Thanks. I'm trying out a new deodorant."

"It's… intoxicating."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Glad to know it's a keeper."

The music wound up around them: _Forget your troubles, come on get happy… you better chase all your cares away. Shout hallelujah, come on get happy… get ready for the judgment day…_

Pressed up against Beck, stars overhead, the taste of doughnuts still lingering in her mouth, Jade felt something like the lightness she'd seen in Evie. It still confused her, but it felt pretty good, like drinking a can of Peppy Cola without taking a single breath. Fizzy and dizzy…. _shout hallelujah, come on get happy…_ dancing like maybe the night would never end, because maybe if she didn't stop moving, it wouldn't.

* * *

After they had returned home, following a shower and treatments and a late-night mini candy bar feast with Jade, Evie stood at her bedroom window and looked out at the driveway. The big RV was parked there, and the garage lights were on. She could see her parents' shadows as they went back and forth from the house to the RV, each time loading more and more boxes and bags. It would be a miracle if there was any room for the travelers by the time the trip got underway.

She turned away from the window, dragging her bedside vent on the stand along with her. Sleepily she sat down on the bed and pulled off the handful of silver rings she wore, setting them carefully on her bedside table. With her newly empty hands, she hooked the oxygen compressor into her ventilator tubing, then connected the ventilator tubing to her trach. Funny how it had become almost reflexive… just like everything else.

With her ventilator breathing for her and her feeding pump shoving nutrients into her stomach, Evie lay back on her bed and pulled up her covers. _One more sleep_, she thought, using the terminology her parents had once used to help her and Jade count down to Christmas. _One more sleep until the magic begins._

On the pillow next to her was the gold foil envelope from the Grant a Dream Foundation; she fell asleep with her fingertips brushing the embossed edge.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Thanks for hanging around! Here's a chapter that's a bit longer than the last one. Reviews are love - and to those of you who enjoy my writing, I'm also working on a "Glee" fanfic called "Songs Without Words." Enjoy!

* * *

"Okay, okay, what am I?"

"Cat, we're not playing Twenty Questions again."

"Why not?"

"Because last time you said you were one of Bo Bice's chest hairs."

"So?"

Jade shook her head dismissively. "I'm getting a soda."

"Get me one?" Andre asked hopefully.

Jade looked back at him, and then said, "Sure. What do you want?"

"Is there root beer?"

Jade opened the top mini-fridge and looked in. "Um, no. But there's Peppy Cola, and Diet Red, and ginger ale, and Dr. Bubbly. And grapeade in a little bottle."

"Ooh, Dr. Bubbly," Andre said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "I haven't had that since they stopped serving it at the Masterworks Movie Theater."

"What is Diet Red?" Beck asked as Jade removed a Dr. Bubbly and a Peppy Cola from the fridge.

"It's like Red, but with half the calories and none of the sugar," Tori said.

"And what does Red taste like?"

"It kinda tastes like Dr. Bubbly, but with a cherry finish," Tori replied.

"Oh," Beck said. "Gross."

"It's actually not bad," Evie said.

"Are we there yet?" Cat asked, looking out the windows as the scenery flashed by.

"Do you see a sign that says Orlando or Disney World?"

"No. That one said Independence Junction. And that one said carpool lane. And _that_ one said…"

"We can all read, Cat," Jade interrupted before the sign-reading took on a life of its own.

"So we're not there yet?"

"It'll be a couple of days," Andre said to Cat.

"_Days?"_

"In our very own land schooner," Kent West called from the front of the RV, where he sat behind the wheel with a captain's presence.

"Think of it as an adventure," Tori suggested to Cat. "You know, seeing the sights."

"There are no sights," Cat said, gesturing out the window, where acres upon acres of flat land rolled by.

"Well, we're in Arizona. So there aren't any sights. But soon there will be."

"What about the world's biggest cowboy boot?" Robbie asked, scanning the AAA travel guide.

"Ooh! That sounds like fun!" Cat clapped her hands together.

"And it says there's the Big Rock Candy Caverns just two miles down the road," Robbie read on.

Jade took a sip from her Peppy Cola as Robbie read more facts from the guidebook. Across the RV's wide aisle, Evie lay on her back on one of the padded benches. Her ventilator, oxygen tank, and feeding pump rested on the table above her head, and the un-scenery flashed by on the dark lenses of Evie's pink sunglasses.

"Hey, Gooey Lungs, you awake over there? Wouldn't want you to sleep through the sights of Arizona," Jade said, and reached out with her foot to gently prod Evie in the thigh.

"Didn't you hear Tori? There are no sights of Arizona," Evie said without turning her head.

"Well, forgive me for not believing Miss Never-Left-California."

"I've left California," Tori said.

"Robbie's the one who's never left California," Beck agreed.

"One time, when I was nine, I accidentally went to Oregon," Cat said perkily.

"How do you _accidentally_ go to Oregon?" Andre wanted to know.

"I don't remember," Cat answered. "But it was, like, totally terrible."

"My parents once wanted to send Trina to Maine," Tori said.

"Why?" Andre asked.

"It's Trina."

"Ohh," the group said in obvious understanding.

"Hey, gang, the world's biggest cowboy boot!" Kent said as they passed a big blue highway sign. "Should we stop?"

"Yeah!" Cat exclaimed.

"Is it just one boot?" Beck asked as Kent steered the RV towards the next exit. "I mean, why would you have just one boot?"

"Maybe it belongs to an amputee," Jade said, and took a long swallow of Peppy Cola.

"Only you," Beck said.

The RV pulled into a dusty parking lot. There was an Olde West-esque building at the far end and a Pepsi machine just beyond that; the whole thing was surrounded by a group of straggly trees. Kent ably parked the RV in a far part of the lot and turned off the "land schooner," then turned to face the kids. "Well, let's go see some boot!"

"That's not a sentence you hear very often," Annie said, appearing from the back of the RV, where she'd been organizing luggage. "Get your camera, dear."

"Aye-aye," Kent said, and rummaged around in one of the cabinets.

The group disembarked from the RV, with Kent and Evie's wheelchair bringing up the rear. Once Evie was settled, she shoved her sunglasses up on her nose and said, "This had better be good. It's hot out here."

"I think we have to go to the Visitor's Center," Robbie said, pointing to the Wild West building.

They crossed the parking lot with a minimal amount of stares, which Jade felt was a miracle in itself. It was like being on a sitcom, all these different people… and Robbie with his damn puppet and the damn guidebook… and Evie with all her equipment… and Cat, who hadn't taken off the wizard's hat she'd gotten into the RV with.

A grizzly older gentleman was manning the counter in the Visitor's Center. "Howdy, folks," he said, giving them a tip of his cowboy hat. "Y'all here to see the boot?"

"Is there something else to see?" Jade asked.

"Jade," Beck said, and nudged her.

"Well, there's always my ship in a bottle," the old man replied, obviously immune to sarcasm. "But the boot's usually what gets folks."

He grabbed a folded map from the counter and spread it out in front of them. "There's a trail up the hill to the boot. Water fountains and restrooms up there too. Trail starts right out that door."

"Thank you," Annie said, and took the map from him as they passed through the big room full of boot-shaped souvenirs.

Outside the door it became apparent that the world's largest cowboy boot had not been placed with the Americans with Disabilities Act in mind. The trail up the hill was steep and stair-like grooves had been worn into the hard-packed ground to make foot climbing easier. "Oh, man," Kent said as he tilted his head back to look at the trail.

"I'll just stay here," Evie said, discouraged.

"No, no, this is an all-for-one trip," Kent said. "Us manly men will just have to carry you."

Without further discussion, he gestured to the back of her chair. "Beck, can you take the back? I'll get the front."

Beck nodded and stood behind the chair, his hands on the handles.

"Hold onto your equipment, Evie," Kent said as he prepared to lift the smaller front wheels off the ground. "Jadey, put Evie's seat belt on."

Jade did as her father asked, strapping the loose belt around Evie's waist and pulling until it was taut. "Okay."

"Annie, you and Jadey spot us," Kent said. "Let us know if we're going to drop Evie-kins."

"Or kill any tourists," Beck added.

On the count of "three" they lifted, and the group began its slow ascent of the hill.

"How's it going?" Jade asked Evie.

"I feel like I'm in a harem," Evie answered, her voice a little breathy.

"Well, you're not wearing the right outfit," Jade pointed out.

"I'm not the one who wore Princess Jasmine pajamas for three weeks straight during the second grade," Evie said, and coughed.

"Whoa, Kent, whoa," Annie said over Evie's coughs, which had quickly turned deep and airway-impeding. "Can you put her down?"

"Not without losing my footing," Kent said, panting a bit under the chair's weight.

"So just lower her," Annie said, and as Beck and Kent did so, she stepped forward, removed Evie's ventilator attachment, suctioned out the artificial airway, and replaced the ventilator.

"Thanks, Mom," Evie panted.

"Any time," Annie said.

"So, what was that about Jasmine pajamas?" Tori asked.

The group finally made it to the top of the hill, where Beck and Kent celebrated by gulping down water from the aforementioned water fountains. The others took up spots along the wooden fence, looking up at what was certainly the largest boot any of them had ever seen.

"I don't get it," Cat said after a moment.

"What's not to get?" Robbie wanted to know.

"It's just… so… _big_," Cat said. "What's the point?"

"It's to symbolize the… largeness… of… some… boots," Robbie said at last.

"Have you ever seen a boot that large?"

"Yeah, even Robbie's feet aren't that big," Rex cracked from Robbie's arm perch.

"Like I'd ever be caught dead in cowboy boots," Robbie grumbled.

"Group picture!" Annie suggested, and took the camera bag from Kent.

It was the first picture of their trip, awkwardly posed in front of the world's largest boot. Evie, studying the digital camera display, said, "We look all shrunk."

After that there was nothing much else to do. The boot, having been admired and photographed, ceased to be interesting. "Let's head back to our land schooner," Kent said, and prepared to pick up Evie's chair again.

The way down the hill seemed to be even steeper than it had been on the way up, and Kent and Beck found themselves stepping even more carefully.

"Kent, watch out for that…"

Annie's warning came a second too late, as Kent's foot found and hit the small hole she'd been about to mention. His leg buckled and he fell awkwardly, sprawling forward on the trail.

Beck, startled by Kent's fall, immediately dug his feet into the trail, trying to stop from dropping the chair. But released from Kent's grasp, the front of the wheelchair hit the ground with a hard smack, jerking the handles out of Beck's hands.

Evie and her equipment bounced, jolted, and then did a head-over-heels roll down the hill.

Jade gasped and darted forward; she managed to grab the back of Evie's chair and hung on, digging her boots into the trail. Andre planted his feet into what seemed like a solid ledge and wrapped his arms around Jade's waist, holding her upright.

For a moment the area was filled with the sound of pebbles bouncing down the trail, and Evie gasping, and equipment alarms blaring.

"Is everybody okay?" Annie asked gingerly, pushing hair out of her eyes.

"Yeah," Kent said, a little out of breath. He got to his feet a bit unsteadily and hurried to help Jade right the wheelchair. "You all right, Evie?"

"Been better," Evie said, and winced as she examined her arms, both now scraped from her fall down the trail. "I think I've got gravel in my arm."

"We'll get it out in the RV," Annie said. "I've got a big-ass first aid kit."

"Mom," Jade said.

"What? I thought that's what the kids said," Annie said.

"Nobody says that," Jade said.

"My brother says it sometimes," Cat said.

"Let's do this smarter, huh?" Kent said as he leaned over Evie's chair. "I'll take Evie. Beck, can you and Andre take the chair and the equipment?"

"Sure thing," Andre said.

"That puny seat belt sure saved your life," Jade said to Evie as Kent lifted Evie out of her wheelchair.

"No kidding," Evie said, examining all of the places she was most vulnerable – g-tube, trach, central line. Everything seemed to be in order.

They went slowly down the hill and back through the Visitors' Center. The old man looked up. "What'd you think of the boot?" he asked, seemingly unaware of their bleeding scrapes and dusty clothing.

"Next time, just give us the ship in the bottle," Jade said, and followed the rest of the travelers as they headed back, bruised and battered, to the RV's waiting respite.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Enjoy! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - you guys are the best!

* * *

Their first night on the road they stopped at the Happy Acres Campground. Following a McDonald's dinner, Kent built a fire and Annie brought out the marshmallows.

"What are the sleeping arrangements?" Robbie asked as he skewered two marshmallows onto an unbent coat hanger.

"The girls are in the back bedroom," Annie said, opening a package of graham crackers. "Mr. West and I will be on the bed above the driver's cockpit, and you boys are in our tent, out here."

"What if there are bears?"

"There are no bears in New Mexico," Jade said to Robbie.

"That's untrue," Robbie said, abandoning the marshmallows and picking up the guide book. "It says here that black bears are common in some parts of New Mexico."

"Well, just yell real loud," Kent suggested, "and I'll get something heavy and run out here and hit it."

"Or just feed it Rex," Jade said.

"Like that would stop a _bear_," Andre said. "If anything, it would just make it angrier. Like, where's the real snacks?"

The kids laughed, and Robbie, blushing, busied himself with the marshmallows again.

"Can't remember the last time I was worried about bears," Kent said, taking a drink of lemonade.

"One of the perks of living in Los Angeles," Annie said, laughing.

After s'mores were made and consumed, the fire died down. Beck and Andre retrieved the tent from the RV and set it up. They dragged sleeping bags and pillows into the four-person structure, and pronounced it ready.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth," Annie reminded the boys as they were getting ready to climb into the tent.

"Mom," Jade said.

"What? Is it uncool to care about proper oral hygiene?"

"I don't know if 'uncool' is even a word," Evie said.

"Well, don't come whining to me when you're eighty years old and you have to drink your meals through a straw," Annie said.

"We'll brush our teeth," Beck said.

Annie beamed at him. "That's the attitude."

She pointed down the paved lane towards one of the only well-lit structures in the distance. "That's the bath-house," she said. "Showers in there too."

"Mom," Jade said. "You have really got to butt out of other people's hygiene."

"Honey, we are in an enclosed space together for the next several days," Annie said. "Forgive me if I don't want to smell like teenager."

"We'll go with you," Tori said to Andre.

Toothbrushes and bathroom kits in hand, the group of kids strolled down the path towards the bath-house. From both sides of the road came the sounds of discussing, singing, laughter, and general good times, from tents and motor homes and RVs parked in an expanding fan shape across the campsite.

At the bath-house the group split into their respective groups and entered.

"This is pretty nice," Evie said, rolling her chair up to one of the sinks. "It's not totally gross."

"And look! There's free mouthwash!" Cat exclaimed, pointing to a dispenser on the wall.

"I think that might be liquid soap," Tori said.

"Oh," Cat said, a little crestfallen. Then she brightened. "Hey! Tomorrow are we in Disney World?"

"Not tomorrow," Evie said as she spread toothpaste on her brush. "And not the day after that."

"Aw." Cat pouted.

"But didn't we have fun today?"

"You fell down a hill in pursuit of a giant boot," Jade pointed out.

Evie said something around her toothbrush, foaming at the mouth with Crest. She spat. "It was totally fun. It's all in the attitude. Plus, now I've got battle scars."

"Guys dig scars," Tori said.

"What would you know about it?" Jade wanted to know.

"I just have it on good authority," Tori replied. "Like back at Sherwood, there was this one guy who every girl wanted to date. He had this scar on his face that looked like he got it in a knife fight."

"Ooh, did he win?" Cat asked.

"Win what?"

"The knife fight."

"He wasn't _in_ a knife fight," Tori said, rolling her eyes. "He got it falling off a slide. But he told girls it was from a knife fight."

"Only somebody dumb would believe him," Jade said.

"Funny you should say that – Trina went out with him twice."

Giggling, the girls headed back to the RV. Kent and Annie were sitting near the fire in collapsible chairs. "Good night, ladies," Kent said.

"Evie, just get Jadey to come out here and get me when you're ready for treatment," Annie said.

"Actually, Mom, I'm going to do Evie's treatment," Jade said, drawing herself up to her full height. "So you guys can have the night off."

"Are you sure, sweetie?"

"Yes," Jade said.

"Have her do the Vest first, and her nebulizers, and…"

"Mom," Evie said. "How many times have I done this? And how many times has Jade _watched_ me do this?"

"Oh, you're right," Annie said, laughing. "Leave me the nebulizer cups and the suction canister to rinse. We'll see you in the morning."

Tori and Cat said their goodnights, and the four girls adjourned to the back bedroom of the RV.

"Aw, look, My Little Pony sheets," Cat said as she pulled back the blanket on one of the beds.

"I think we have Power Rangers," Evie said, setting her ventilator on the bed.

"Cat, do you want the window or the aisle?" Tori asked, pointing to each of the choices.

Cat considered the options. "Aisle. No, wait, window. No, aisle. No…"

"Sleep next to the window," Tori interrupted hurriedly.

"Okay!" Cat said, beaming.

Evie strapped herself into the Vest while Jade prepared the nebulizer cup. "Are you doing it inline or by mouth?" Jade asked.

"In-line," Evie replied.

Jade nodded and hooked the nebulizer cup in-line with Evie's ventilator tubing, then flicked on the nebulizer compressor and the Vest compressor.

There was a knock at the window, and Cat shrieked and jumped away from it. "It's a bear!"

"Do bears knock?" Jade asked sarcastically. She leaned across the bed and shoved open the window.

It was Beck. "Going to bed without a goodnight kiss?" he asked.

"Are my parents watching you?" Jade asked, smiling.

"They would be on the other side of the RV," Beck said.

"Good to know," Jade said, and leaned out the window to give Beck a kiss.

"Thank you," Beck said.

"Do you want a kiss from me, Beck?" Cat piped up.

"No, but thanks for the offer," Beck said.

"Okay! If you see any bears, tell them we're going to sleep," Cat said.

"Will do," Beck said.

Jade closed the window.

"I've got a text message from Trina," Tori said as she got into bed. "It says 'Tori – I borrowed your yellow dress to go on a date with Kieran Ellsworth.' Oh, no, not my yellow dress!"

"Who's Kieran Ellsworth?" Cat asked.

"Some guy Trina met in her acting class."

"A guy in her acting class wanted to go out with her?" Jade asked as she poured cans of formula into a bag for the feeding pump. "Has he heard her say anything yet?"

"Yes."

"Then he must be blind, deaf, or really desperate."

"None of the above," Tori said, composing a quick response. "They're studying mime this term!"

* * *

When Evie's nebulizer and Vest treatments were done, Jade propped the girl up and pounded on her chest and back, counting out loud the number of seconds designated for each lung lobe. Evie, never one to shy away from doing less than her best, coughed up a bunch of junk and suctioned out more from her trach. While Jade rinsed her hands, Evie connected herself to the feeding pump, the oxygen compressor, and the IV pump, then crawled over to the window side of her bed and curled up.

Jade came back in and closed the door. "Cat, ready for lights out?"

"Wait! I'm just watching this last Slap segment."

"You can do that in the dark," Jade pointed out.

"No, I'm ready," Cat said, turning off her phone and obediently lying down on her side of the bed.

"Good," Jade said, and flicked off the lights.

She climbed in bed next to Evie.

"Good night moon," Cat said from the far side of the room. "Good night air."

"Good night noises everywhere," the other three girls chorused.

Jade added, "Go to _bed_, Cat."


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: **Here's some awesome travel excitement. I wrote this chapter while listening to/watching "The TV Theme Medley" by FreddeGredde on YouTube. Check it out! And enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Evie woke as the first beams of sunlight started peeking through the RV bedroom's blinds. She snuggled down in her blanket a little more, completely satisfied and happy.

The room was warm. Next to Evie, Jade was sleeping on her back, her mouth open, snoring a little. In her black-and-lavender pajamas, Jade looked floppy and innocent. It tickled Evie a bit.

On the other bed, Tori and Cat slept on as well, curled up away from each other. Cat's flaming hair was caught in the light from the other window, and sunlight stippled her eyelids and her SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas. Under the My Little Pony sheets on the closer side of the bed, Tori's brown hair spilled over her shoulders, falling over her mouth and nose.

Evie listened to the stillness in the room, marred rhythmically by her ventilator, the bubbling of the vent's humidifier, the hiss of the oxygen compressor, and the mechanical _whirr-whirr_ of the feeding pump. Plus Jade's light snores, and Cat's in-sleep humming. And from outside, Evie could hear noises coming from the tent; seemed like the boys were waking up.

There was a light rap at the bedroom door, and Annie stuck her head in. "Hi, Evie-kins," she whispered. "Are you ready for your treatments?"

Evie smiled and nodded.

"Okay," Annie whispered. "I'll get the stuff around."

Evie stretched happily as Annie closed the door with a little _click_.

There was a rap at the RV window, and Jade started. "Hmmph!"

"I think somebody's at the window," Cat said, jerking upright. "Hey, Jade, somebody's at the window."

"Hmmph," Jade said into her pillow.

There was another rap, and a boyish sort of giggle. "Good morning, ladies!" Andre said from outside.

"_Jade_," Cat said, and leaned across the tiny aisle to whack Jade with her pillow.

"_What!"_ Jade roared, and flailed out with one arm, smacking Tori in the face. Tori merely put up one limp hand in retribution, and rolled over to face the wall.

Evie laughed over the vent, rasping her giggles out into the little room.

"Ladies?" Andre repeated.

"Just go," Beck said from outside. "They'll hear you."

"And now, a medley of your favorite TV themes," Robbie said.

"Ooh, music!" Cat exclaimed, clapping. "Jade, open the window!"

"It's too freakin' early for this," Jade muttered, and reached across Evie to shove open the window. "This had better be good," she informed the trio of boys, scraping her hair out of her face.

Robbie fingered a melody on his guitar and the boys burst into song: "_You're not the boss of me now, you're not the boss of me now and you're not so big…"_

Andre had his keyboard propped up on the picnic table, and he and Robbie played "The X-Files" theme song while Beck whistled.

They transitioned into "Love and marriage, love and marriage…" and then seamlessly into "The Office" and "Cheers" and "How I Met Your Mother."

"Now this a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down," Andre sang, and Beck and Robbie joined him.

Annie opened the door to the bedroom. "What is that racket?" she asked, coming over to turn on Evie's nebulizer. "Oh, hello, boys."

"Hi, Mrs. West!" Robbie said, strumming the end to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Beck and Andre segwayed into "Charles in Charge."

"Trina, turn the radio off," Tori mumbled, and waved one hand in the air.

Cat giggled. "Silly, it's not the radio."

"No, but it's still strangely out of key," Jade grumbled.

"You're pretty when you're bitter," Beck observed, as Andre repeated "Charles in Charge."

"And you're dumb when you're standing outside an RV in your PJs playing TV themes," Jade replied, and tried to pull the blanket over her head.

"Men, men, men, men, manly men," Beck sang in response, giving the girls the theme of "Two and a Half Men."

"Yeah, you wish," Jade said.

"Jade, put your sister's Vest on. Cat, would you like to help with breakfast?"

"Ooh! I love breakfast!" Cat clapped and jumped out of the tiny bed, squashing Tori's legs. Tori sat up, yawning, and looked over at the window confusedly.

"Will you sing 'Charles in Charge' again?" Annie asked. "I loved that show."

"Mom, don't encourage them," Jade said.

"I think it's cute," Annie said as she flicked the feed tubing to the nebulizer to disperse the medicine. "Your father certainly never serenaded me."

"He's not the musical type," Evie rasped over the ventilator.

"Well, true. But he never stood at my window performing actuarial calculations," Annie said. "Come on, Cat, we'll get breakfast started. Jade, you come get me when Evie's done."

The boys did "Charles in Charge" again and then, laughing, they went to put their instruments down.

"It's like magic," Evie said.

"What, three guys serenading you while in their pajamas?"

"Does that ever happen at home?" Evie asked.

"Not since they sent Andy Gillman to that wilderness school," Jade said.

"Yeah, but he played a mean accordion," Evie said, and at last Jade laughed.

* * *

"Tell me the rules again."

"Cat, seriously, we've been playing poker for _two hours_," Jade said. "How do you not remember?"

"I was thinking about unicorns."

"Don't know if I'd call that thinking," Rex cracked.

"That's not nice," Robbie chided the puppet. "Unicorns are people too."

Cat gasped. "That's so _true!"_

"You're all nuts," Jade said.

"Ooh, are there more nuts?" Cat asked. "I love those… peanuts. With the honey. What are they called?"

"Honey-roasted peanuts," Tori said.

"Yeah, those."

Beck reached over the back of his seat and produced the can of honey-roasted peanuts.

"Hurray!" Cat said, and took off the plastic lid, eager to begin munching on the delicious treat.

"Don't fill up on snacks," Annie said from the passenger captain seat. "We'll be stopping for lunch soon."

"Where are we stopping?" Jade asked, watching Andre deal the cards.

"At your cousin Randy's barbecue restaurant," Annie said. "Figured we'd get some authentic Texas cuisine."

"Ooh, does he still have that trained pig?" Evie asked happily, shifting position on her bench seat.

"You mean Petunia? I guess so," Annie said.

"She's the best," Evie said, rolling her head to look up at Tori. "She plays checkers!"

"Yeah, she beat me last time," Kent said, laughing.

"You have a cousin Randy?" Beck asked Jade.

"Yeah. What's so weird about that?"

"It's just never been established."

"We don't really talk about Randy," Evie said, taking off her sunglasses. "If black sheep could run five-star barbecue restaurants, that'd be him."

"He married a Korean woman," Jade said, looking down at her cards.

"Oh, Jadey, she's more American than you or me," Evie protested. "And Aunt Rachel and Uncle Perry didn't stop talking to Randy because he married Lu Kim. They stopped talking to him because he refused to donate a kidney to his brother Darius."

"He got the damn kidney eventually," Jade said.

"Yeah, from Sonja," Evie said. "She's our cousin who thinks she's a vampire."

"Do you have _any_ normal relatives?" Andre asked Jade.

"Compared to the rest of our family, Evie and I are Stepford children," Jade said. "Two cards, please."

"Uno!" Cat exclaimed.

"We're not playing Uno, Cat," Beck said gently.

"Yeah, but we _could_ be," Cat said.

* * *

"So she _thinks_ she's a vampire?" Andre asked Evie as Beck lifted her down from the RV steps and into her waiting wheelchair.

"Yeah," Evie said. "She goes to vampire clubs in Texas, and…"

"Wait – they have vampire clubs in Texas?"

"Well, I guess so. She talks about them on her blog," Evie said. "Her blog is trippy. She's always talking about some guy she calls Count Augustus. But I'm pretty sure his name is something normal, like Ed or John, and he's probably a car salesman or something, not a vampire."

"Sonja's a freak," Jade said, tromping down the RV steps.

"Well, yeah, but she's real earnest about it," Evie said. "You have to agree, she puts her heart and soul into the whole vampire thing."

"Look at this place!" Cat said, bounding down the steps with her wizard hat firmly in place. "I've never seen a pig that big! Except maybe Sikowitz's stuffed one!"

"Oh, please, Sikowitz's pig would get eaten," Robbie said solemnly, looking up at the gigantic resin pig mounted atop Randy's Roadhouse.

"Did anyone else just have a flashback to the film 'Whip It,' starring the lovely and hilarious Ellen Page?" Evie asked. "I swear everything in my life fell into place when I saw that movie. Jadey, you think Randy would let us sit on the pig?"

Jade looked over at Evie, crowded into her wheelchair seat with her ventilator and oxygen. "You ditch the machines, and I'm sure we could arrange a 'Whip It' reenactment," she said.

"Sweet," Evie said.

"What are we all standing here for?" Kent asked, closing the door of the RV. "The pig gets more magnificent up close."

"It's true," Evie said to Tori. "She's wearing eyeliner."

"She is _not_," Annie chided Evie, sounding slightly scandalized. "Your cousin just got taken advantage of by a French-Canadian painter. It's not _eyeliner."_

"We're like a family from a sitcom," Jade said, and grabbed Evie's wheelchair handles.

They crossed the hot parking lot and entered the cool dark of Randy's Roadhouse. A pimply, gangly teenage boy in a fringed leather vest and a ridiculously large cowboy hat was standing behind the hostess stand. "_Yeeee-_haw and welcome to Randy's Roadhouse!" he squeaked out. "I'm Stu and I'll be your… your waiter!"

"Excellent," Kent said, striding forward to clap the boy on the shoulder. "We'll take your best table."

"Our… best…?" The boy looked confused.

"Please seat us," Annie said, giving him a big smile.

The décor of Randy's Roadhouse seemed to be a cross between every bad Western film ever made, and a rural rummage sale. There were wagon wheels and horseshoes everywhere, and pictures of cowboys and pigs and women on horses hung side by side with branding irons, red bandannas, and spurs. Stu led the group across the wide plank floors to a large table. Red bandannas were folded into neat, crisp triangles, set in the middle of each place setting.

"Your server will be right with you," Stu squeaked, and scrambled away.

They had been seated for no more than a minute when a diminutive Asian woman came up to them. Like Stu, she wore a fringed vest and a cowboy vest. "_Yeee-_haw!" she exclaimed. "For to welcome you to Randy's Roadhouse, home of the barbecue!"

"Lu Kim!" Evie cried happily, beaming.

"Yes?" the woman said, clearly not recognizing Evie.

"It's us, Lu Kim," Annie said. "Kent and Annie, and Evie and Jadey."

"Oh, Mr. and Mrs.! And Grumpy and Gooey! And you bring the friends!" Lu Kim's confused face broke into a big smile. "I go get Randy!"

"She calls you _Gooey_?" Annie asked, turning to Evie.

"It starts with the same letter as Grumpy, and most of the time it's true," Evie said, shrugging.

From the far side of the restaurant there was a "_Yeee_-haw!" and a tall, red-headed man appeared, wiping his hands on a red bandanna. "Let me get a good look at y'all!"

"Randy!" Kent said, shaking the man's hands. "You've gotten taller!"

"Yessir, Uncle Kent, reckon I have," Randy said. "It's all the sun out here!"

"Is your Mr. and Mrs. Uncle!" Lu Kim said happily. "And the Gooey and the Grumpy!"

"Aunt Annie, looking splendid as usual," Randy said.

"Well, you know how to flatter a woman," Annie said.

"And Jade, you look no more pleased to see me than the last time we met," Randy said.

"Don't take it personally," Evie said. "She looks at everyone like that, except for maybe her boyfriend. If he's bringing her coffee. Or chocolate."

"I'm the boyfriend," Beck said, raising one hand.

"And you are a _looker_," Randy said. "Isn't he handsome, Lu Kim?"

"Yes, very handsome," Lu Kim agreed.

Jade put her head in her hands.

"Y'all here fer a visit?" Randy asked.

"On our way through," Kent said. "Evie's been granted a vacation by a wonderful foundation in LA. We're on our way to Disney World."

"Oh! Oh! The Mouse lives there!" Lu Kim said.

"We're going to Universal Studios too," Evie said. When Lu Kim looked confused, she clarified, "It's where Harry Potter lives."

"Harry Potter lives in England," Lu Kim said, confused.

"Well, it's his vacation home," Evie said.

"Let's get these folks some _barbecue!"_ Randy said, rubbing his hands together. "Y'all want the lunch special? Comes with cornbread muffins and extra mashed potatoes!"

"Sounds great," Kent said.

"And y'all don't forget to get out to see Petunia," Randy said. "She's on a streak – forty-eight wins against the Hadassah Supper Club from B'nai Brith in San Antonio."

"Lucky pig," Annie said.

"As I remember, she gave Kent quite the thrashin' last time," Randy said, laughing. "Lu Kim, let's get our barbecue on!"

Randy and Lu Kim headed for the kitchen, their cowboy boots tramping heavily across the floor.

"It's like being in a camp version of 'Bonanza,'" Jade grumbled.

"With better food," Evie said.

"When did your relatives move to LA?" Tori asked Annie.

"They're _from_ LA," Annie replied.

"Randy moved out here when he was eighteen, started talking like that a year later," Evie said to Tori. "It's been six years now."

"I swear to God," Jade said.

"I think it's cool," Beck said.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." Jade rolled her eyes.

"Come on, it's not every girl I date whose cousin owns a barbecue restaurant in Texas," Beck said.

"A _five-star_ barbecue restaurant," Kent reminded Beck.

"I want to see this pig that plays checkers," Robbie said.

"Okay," Evie said, "but don't be upset when she beats you."

"Are you kidding?" Rex asked. "Robbie hasn't won anything since the second grade science fair, and even then it was just a pity prize."

"It was not!" Robbie said hotly.

"Oh, you know it was," Rex said as Robbie and Andre followed Evie and Tori to the back of the restaurant.

Lu Kim reappeared with glasses of iced tea and water. "Randy say you save room for Killer Pound-cake. Special chocolate fudge sauce."

"Yum," Cat said. "I love chocolate fudge sauce!"

Lu Kim picked up her tray and looked at Cat. "Your hair _very_ red."

"It's the color of red velvet cupcakes," Cat said, obviously pleased to let someone else in on the secrets. "But it doesn't taste like red velvet cupcakes. And it's not my natural hair color, either."

Lu Kim stared for a moment, then cracked a big smile. "You funny, cupcake girl! You funny!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat cried as Lu Kim walked away.

"Just another day in paradise," Beck said, putting his arm around Jade and kissing her on the top of the head.

"If you still love me after all this…" Jade said.

"Yeah?"

"Some sort of prize might be in order."

"Okay, but not a pity prize," Beck said.

"You got it," Jade said, and pulled him down for a kiss on the lips.

"_Yee_-haw," Beck said.

* * *

Reviews are love!


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** My real life is a shambles at the moment, but here's some fluff for chapter 30. Hopefully a better chapter soon. Enjoy.

* * *

Jade rolled over and blinked awake, looking confusedly at the empty side of the bed. Where had Evie gone?

She rolled to the other side; Cat and Tori were asleep in their bed.

"_Evie_," she whispered.

There was no answer, and Jade realized that the room was even quieter than usual. Evie was missing, and her equipment was gone, too.

Jade slipped out of bed, pushing back the blanket, putting her bare feet on the RV's cool floor. She opened the little door and looked out into the dim hallway.

The RV was quiet at this time of night. The clock on the microwave said 1:30. Above the navigator and driver's captain's chairs, tucked away in the overhead bunk, Annie and Kent slept curled up together, tucked under their thick duvet. Neither West parent moved as Jade crept down the hallway and into the main living room. No Evie.

She pushed open the door and looked out at the campsite. The fire in the little stone ring had been extinguished hours ago, following dinner. At the far side of the site, the boys' tent was still.

Jade went carefully down the steps, and as her feet hit the cool grass, she heard Evie's ventilator. "_There_ you are," she said.

Evie was sitting in one of the collapsible chairs, with her ventilator, feeding pump, oxygen, suction, and heart rate monitor at her feet. Her head was tilted back, her eyes fixed on the sky.

"How'd you get all your stuff out here without making a racket?" Jade asked, sitting on top of the picnic table, facing Evie.

"Everybody was in a barbeque coma," Evie said, still looking up at the sky.

Jade lay back on the picnic table. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing in particular," Evie said. "I'm just looking."

"Hmm."

"Sometimes I just like knowing that I'm just one tiny piece in the universe." There was something choked and awkward in Evie's voice. Jade said nothing, knowing that sometimes the best way to get Evie to talk was to say nothing.

Far off there was the sound of a campfire crackling, of people talking and whooping off at other campsites in the distance. Jade stared up at the stars, trying to figure out what Evie saw.

If she was waiting for Evie's voice to break the silence, she was disappointed, because after six minutes spent in silence, staring up at the starry sky, it was Evie's ventilator that interrupted the calm. Evie coughed, choked, gagged, and leaned forward to suction out her trach.

For some reason Jade felt no need to sit up, to assess the situation, to assist Evie. For whatever reason, she knew that Evie could handle things.

Sure enough, a moment later the suction unit shut off and Evie leaned back in her chair, reconnecting herself to the ventilator.

More silence, and by this time Jade's so transfixed by the sky that she wondered if she had gone deaf or maybe just a little soft in the head – is it her imagination, or is the sky getting bigger? More open? Are there more stars?

"I came out here because I had a dream," Evie said, and Jade realized that the sky was no bigger, no fuller, than it had been when she first came outside. It was the exhaustion, traveling, all of this strangeness.

"Yeah?" Jade asked.

"I had a dream that you were a grandma," Evie said.

"Sounds more like a nightmare."

"No, you were refined. Unexpectedly refined," Evie said. "Still full of piss and vinegar, as Ma-Maw would say."

"Queen of Piss and Vinegar. I hope Ma-Maw wasn't still alive in this dream."

"I don't know. I didn't see her," Evie replied. "Although it wouldn't have surprised me if she was there. Or here. Or anywhere."

"Did you take too many of your meds?"

Evie laughed. "I was making a 'Fiddler on the Roof' reference," she said to Jade. "Fruma Sarah. That was just a dream too."

"That was a _musical_ dream," Jade said.

"The best kind."

"So I was a grandma?"

"Mm-hmm."

"And where were you?" Jade asked, but the second it was out of her mouth she didn't like the way it sounded.

"I wasn't there," Evie said.

"Hmm," Jade said.

"But I don't think I was dead," Evie went on. "So stop making that sad face."

"I'm not making a sad face," Jade said, grateful for the darkness that was disguising the fact that she was, indeed, making "that sad face."

"You were happy," Evie said.

"Me?"

"Yeah, I know, it sounded implausible," Evie said. "But there you were, white-haired and feisty and, dare I say it, _pleasant._ Surrounded by grandkids."

"Eugh."

"Well, sometime, in your dotage, you've gone soft and happy."

"Dotage?"

"I think it was a vocab word," Evie said.

"Is there a point here, Gooey Lungs?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I boring you? I'll just go back to staring at the sky and contemplating my mortality."

"No, no, don't do that. C'mon, tell me the rest of the story."

"That _is_ the rest of the story," Evie said.

"Just don't tell 'em like you used to, eh?"

"The point is that life goes on. Whatever this is, it's temporary. People move on, people change. We fall in and out of love, we learn, we become bigger people. We grow. We do whatever it is we're supposed to do and then we go on no more."

"Are you getting sentimental here?" Jade asked, trying to keep the wobble out of her voice.

"No more so than usual," Evie said.

"Then are you going to get to the point?"

"Point is – there's a future, and we're happy."

"You can't know that for sure."

"Yeah, but you can't know the opposite's true," Evie said. She chuckled.

"What are you laughing at, Gooey Lungs?"

"You wanna see a trick, Jadey?"

"Does it involve you blowing a snot bubble out of your trach?"

"Not this time," Evie said. "Look up at the sky."

"Thought I was," Jade said, feeling a little sleepy, a little goofy. But she obligingly stared up at the sky. "Hit me."

Evie chuckled again. "_Bang_," she whispered into the dark stillness.

And though Jade thought she was hallucinating, something brought on by the dark and the stars and the cold and the strangeness – she was still astonished when a handful of shooting stars streaked across the sky, leaving glimmery silver-golden traces where they'd been.

"You're a hell of a magician, Gooey Lungs," Jade said, feeling as though all the air in her lungs had been yanked out forcibly. Was that how Evie felt all the time?

"Gotta get boys some way," Evie said, and laughed again.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N**: So this is a big chapter... I got started writing and just couldn't stop. I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are candy! :)

As a point of reference, _beignets_ (mentioned later in the chapter) are a kind of doughnut. The word is pronounced "ben-yay."

And points to whoever finds the "iCarly" quote hidden in this chapter.

* * *

Out under the stars, the sisters sat in silence, staring up at the bright brilliance above them. Finally Evie said, "Truth or dare."

"Oh, Evie," Jade protested.

"Come on. Truth or dare."

"We should really get back inside. If Mom wakes up…"

"What are you so afraid of, Jadey? She won't wake up. Truth or dare, come on."

Jade sighed. "Fine. Truth."

"What's the worst thing you've ever done?"

"There was that time I dented Mom's van. Remember that? We were downtown for the craft fair…"

"That's not the worst thing you've ever done," Evie said.

"It was pretty bad."

"Aw, she was just looking for an excuse to get a new van anyhow."

"Okay, Gooey Lungs, what do _you_ think was the worst thing I've ever done? Since you're apparently an expert."

"That summer you broke up with Beck for the first time, and you thought it was for real, and you…"

Evie stopped herself and put one finger over her trach so she could cough.

"Stop it, Evie," Jade said, low and dangerous.

"And you scared the shit out of everybody," Evie continued once her airway was clear. "For once I wasn't the first thing on Mom's mind – and while I absolutely hated everything else about that situation, it was kinda nice not to have the entire household revolve around my every crisis."

"Stop it," Jade repeated.

Evie reached up and wiped her eyes, and then steeled herself to go on. "You were so stupid," she said.

"Shut up, Evie. I don't want to talk about it."

"I wondered why anyone would want to kill themselves – somebody with so much going for them, somebody with your beautiful, perfect lungs – just wanted so badly to get out of here. Just because a boy…"

And Jade was up off the picnic table, looking fierce and angry, her voice low and angry. "Did you ever think that if I was gone, they'd give you my lungs?"

Evie, who had been prepared to continue her rant, stopped abruptly, mouth open.

"Yeah, that's right, Gooey Lungs. I've got these beautiful lungs, and maybe if I didn't need them any more, they'd give them to _you_."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Evie said. "You didn't do it 'cause of me."

"Maybe it wasn't the _only_ reason why I did it," Jade said, "but it's always there in the back of my mind. I carry an organ donor card, do you know that? If I get in a car accident, if I can't _be_ there for you anymore, I want you to have my lungs."

"You didn't do it 'cause of me," Evie repeated.

"Sometimes I'm so _jealous_ of you, Evie."

"Okay, _that's_ the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"You get all the attention around the house. Everything revolves around you…"

"You think I _like_ it that way?"

"… I didn't say that. All I said was, sometimes I'm jealous of you. I want to know what it's like to have people care about every damn move you make, everything you say, everywhere you go, when you get up, when you go to sleep, what you eat…"

"You're an idiot," Evie said. "I would _kill_ to have your freedom. To date whoever I want, to stay out late, to not have to worry about every single thing I did every single minute of every single day."

"You fight so damn hard and I wonder what it's like – to want to live so desperately that you're willing to go to the brink of death every single day. And I want somebody to look at _me_, and see that _I_ struggle too."

Evie leaned forward and pulled up Jade's long sleeves, then turned her sister's arms over. She pulled Jade's arms up close to her face, and put her thumbs on the silvery-white scars on Jade's wrists. For a long moment she said nothing, just breathed carefully, in-and-out, in-and-out, like the ocean. At last she looked up. Jade was looking out across the campsite, turned away from Evie, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, Jadey," Evie said.

Jade stifled a sob.

"I'm sorry that nobody ever acknowledges how much you sacrifice," Evie went on. "I'm sorry that nobody ever tells you how brave you are. I'm sorry that you don't get to worry about normal teenage things. And I'm sorry that anyone ever made you feel so worthless that you thought ending it all was the right thing to do. Because the _last_ thing you ever will be is worthless. You've taught me all sorts of things about how to be strong, how to never take shit from anybody – and how to work until I get what I want."

She kissed each of Jade's wrists. "This trip… is for you. My name might be on the reservations, but… but this is for you. Maybe it'll make up for at least _some_ of the things I can't ever make up for."

Jade reached up and wiped her face. "Thank you, Evie."

"Now, we had better get back inside before Mom gets out here, finds us, and has a coronary."

"Wait," Jade said, pulling Evie back down into her seat.

"What?"

"I meant what I said. If I ever… if I ever… if something should happen… I want you to have my lungs. No matter what anybody else says."

"Put it in writing and I'll run it past my lawyer."

"Always the smartass, Evie."

"Gotta keep up my image," Evie said. "Now, help me get all this crap back inside."

She hefted her ventilator over her shoulder, and gave Jade a tired smiled. "It never ends."

"Not that we'd want it to," Jade said, picking up the oxygen tank. "We'd have nothing to fight about."

"Jade, knowing you, we'd find _something_."

"Oh, can it, Gooey Lungs."

"What an archaic insult, my dear."

"I'm feeling charitable."

"What? You? Never."

"Sometimes I love you so much it just makes me stupid," Jade said.

"Only _sometimes?"_

* * *

"We're almost to New Orleans!" Kent called back.

"Whoo-hoo!" Annie said. "Would anyone like a Louisiana soda?"

"We have Louisiana sodas?" Cat asked. "How are they different from the ones we had back in Texas?"

"They're the same sodas, but we'll be drinking them in Louisiana," Annie said.

"Ooh! Special!" Cat said.

Annie smiled and passed around sodas. She handed a bowl of fruit to Robbie.

"Thanks, Mrs. West," Robbie said. "What are the odds we could stop to get some food in New Orleans?"

"You don't have relatives there, do you?" Beck asked Jade.

"No," Jade said. "Randy was the last of them."

"Sure, we can stop," Annie said. "Honey, remember the last time we were in New Orleans?"

"The last time we were in New Orleans together was our honeymoon," Kent said. "I was in New Orleans two years ago on a business trip."

"I didn't know you came to New Orleans on your honeymoon," Jade said to Annie.

"Oh, it was great," Annie said.

"We fed each other _beignets_," Kent said.

"I've read about that," Robbie said.

The others turned to look at him.

"The _beignets_," Robbie said. "Not the… feeding of them… to each other."

"We had a great time," Annie said, reaching over to take an apple from the bowl. "Your father won a poker tournament."

"I didn't know that either," Jade said.

"Oh, yeah, it was great," Annie said. "Remember, honey?"

"Sure do!" Kent said. "We got to stay in a suite that night."

"And we had champagne…" Annie flushed, still smiling at the memory.

"It was a great time," Kent said, sounding wistful.

"So, yes, Robbie, we'll stop in New Orleans. Wouldn't want you kids to miss out on that piece of America," Annie said.

"Can we play Monopoly now?" Cat asked, slurping foam off the top of her Peppy Cola.

"Cat, half the time you can't remember the rules to Go Fish," Jade said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe we could play a game with fewer rules than Monopoly," Jade said.

"Oh!" Cat said. "Like Life?"

"I think that has the same number of rules," Tori said.

"I love sticking those little blue and pink pegs in the cars," Cat said.

"Life it is," Jade said, and stood up to reach the board games cabinet.

"Jadey, before you start playing, will you go check on Evie?" Annie asked.

"Fine," Jade said.

"We'll set up your car," Beck offered. "Want to get married?"

"I'm still in high school," Jade said with no trace of irony.

"You know what I meant."

"And messing with you is still appealing."

Jade gave him a small smile as she headed to the back of the RV. She opened the door to the bedroom and looked in.

Evie was sprawled on the sisters' bed. With the blinds closed the little room was dark and cool. Red and green numbers blinked in the darkness – the ventilator's controls, the heart rate monitor, the oxygen saturations, the IV infusion pump. Evie had her headphones on, and the cord connecting them to her iPod tangled around the clear tubing running from the IV pump down to her central line.

"You're a mess, kid," Jade said, mostly unaware that she had spoken.

She closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed as she carefully unwound the iPod from the IV tubing. "What are you listening to?" Jade asked, flicking the iPod's screen on. "Panic! At the Disco – oh, Evie, you're such a failed hipster."

The RV went over a bump, jolting the iPod out of her hand. She grabbed for it, only to find her thumb crushed against the "up" volume button.

Evie sat bolt upright, blearily reaching out for something. Jade helpfully removed the girl's headphones. "Sorry," she said.

Evie blinked at Jade, almost as if she couldn't understand what she was looking at.

"Evie?" Jade waved her hand in front of Evie's eyes.

Evie blinked again and turned her head towards the window.

"Evie," Jade repeated.

An alarm went off. Jade looked over to the stack of machinery – it was Evie's heart rate monitor; the alarm had tripped because the girl's heart was racing, up to 150 beats per minute.

Jade reached forward and hit the alarm's "silent button," then took Evie's hand. Evie's wrist was clammy and her pulse jumped weakly in her skinny arm. "Evie, you're scaring me, lady," Jade said.

She brushed Evie's hair out of her eyes, and held onto her sister's wrist. "It's okay, Evie," she said, although she wasn't quite sure _what_ was going on, let alone if it was an acceptable set of circumstances. "You're okay. You're safe. You're just fine."

Evie raised her eyebrows, still looking at the window.

"What are you looking at?" Jade asked softly.

The heart rate monitor went off again. Jade hit the silent button, and continued holding Evie's hand. "Evie. Come on back, lady."

Evie brought her free hand up to her trach and pushed the ventilator attachment further onto the trach tube.

"Evie," Jade said.

The heart monitor went off, and Jade looked at it irritably. "Knock it off," she said under her breath, but then realized that this alarm was different. Evie's heart rate had dropped down to 35. She let go of Evie's wrist as Evie looked over at her blurrily, then crumpled backwards onto the bed.

"_Mom!"_ Jade screamed.

There was a _bang_ from the front of the RV, as though someone had dropped something, and then Annie burst through the door to the bedroom. "Jade, what is it?"

"Look!" Jade said, and pointed to the still-wailing heart alarm.

"Well, that's not normal," Annie said, trying to sound calm. "Is the probe on correctly?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, check the probe and I'll suction her," Annie said.

The two switched places in the room. Jade yanked off Evie's sock and looked down at the fabric tape holding the electrode probe to the girl's big toe. She unwound the tape, causing the heart rate monitor to get louder, and quickly yanked off the other sock, winding the tape around Evie's other big toe.

Annie detached Evie's ventilator attachment and suctioned out the girl's trach tube. Evie didn't fight it or even react.

"Mom," Jade said, watching the monitor.

"Give it a minute," Annie said tensely. "And turn on the oxygen tank, will you?"

Jade did as her mother asked, and fed the oxygen tubing up to Evie's ventilator attachment.

After a moment Evie gagged a little, then took a breath over the ventilator and started coughing. Her heart rate jumped up to 90, and she tried to reach up for something that wasn't there.

"Evie," Annie said. "Baby, are you okay?"

Jade leaned forward and turned off all the alarms.

"Mom," Evie said, still reaching out with her eyes closed.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Mom, don't let them take Jade," Evie said.

"Jade's right here," Annie said.

Evie gagged again. Annie quickly suctioned her trach tube, and then switched suction tubes so she could suction out her mouth. "It's okay, baby," Annie said.

"I don't like being scared," Evie said faintly, and then rolled onto her side and curled up.

Her heart rate immediately went down to 65, and the ventilator took over the breathing.

"What the hell was that?" Jade asked.

Annie replaced the suction tubing and stood up. "I have no idea. Come on, let her sleep."

When they were in the hallway, Annie turned to her daughter. "Have you _ever_ seen her do that before?"

"No."

"Me neither." Annie ran her hands through her hair, looking frazzled. She took a deep breath. "Scared the shit out of me."

"It scared me too," Jade said, _sotto voce_.

"We better get to Disney World soon," Annie said, pulling the bedroom door most of the way closed. "I need some of that magic."


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N**: Enjoy this chapter. Reviews are love! :)

* * *

The RV slid through the night, gliding through Louisiana as though on smooth ball bearings. In the little kitchen Annie, Cat, and Tori were playing rummy; the boys were singing something low, accompanied by Beck on guitar, Rex watching from his perch on a bench seat. Kent had the radio on, some talk station, unfamiliar but unthreatening.

In the back bedroom Jade lay next to Evie, running her fingers through Evie's hair, inhaling and exhaling along with the ventilator. Since her earlier "spell" Evie had not awoken, not even stirred as Annie moved around her, performing treatments, giving medications, hooking up feeds, taking vitals. Beneath her paper-thin eyelids her eyes jerked back and forth. Jade hoped Evie was having a beautiful, wonderful dream, somewhere safer.

Loosely nestled over her ears, Jade's headphones played "Turning Tables" on repeat, and the intricate piano piece soared.

_I won't / let you / close enough to hurt me…_

Jade had opened the blinds and the night whisked past the RV's window, blurry moon-prints on the outside world. Exit signs and streetlights were imprinted on her consciousness for a moment or two, and then disappeared into the blackness. She was tired, so tired, but she couldn't close her eyes.

They were taking Evie to a hospital, some fancy children's hospital just over the Florida border. It was why they hadn't stopped for the night, why they hadn't stayed long in New Orleans – just long enough to get some po'boys and _beignets_ and for a strange-looking woman to throw handfuls of beads over Rex's head, despite their relative distance from Mardi Gras and all of its unsavory activities. Jade had hated even that. In her head she kept hearing a voice – _Go now, hurry, go now, hurry, go now_…

There was a soft knock at the bedroom door and Jade turned towards it. Tori stuck her head in. "Hi," Tori whispered.

"Hi," Jade whispered back.

"How is she?"

"Still sleeping."

"She looks… peaceful," Tori whispered, taking a seat on the bed she shared with Cat.

Jade pulled her headphones from her ears and turned off the iPod. She pushed herself carefully into a cross-legged position, and faced Tori. "I'm scared," she whispered into the room's darkness. The realization stained her cheeks, and she was glad for the darkness, the silence. The room was so warm suddenly, like a fragile womb.

Tori didn't say anything, and more road-way disappeared underneath the RV's tires.

"I keep telling myself that they wouldn't have let her out of the hospital if she was too sick to go," Jade went on. "But they've been wrong about stuff before, they're just doctors after all – not God. Or whoever. I don't know if I believe in God anymore, isn't that ridiculous? Most people find God in situations like this, and yet I know… I just _know_ that if there was a God, He would never, _ever_ let Evie or anybody He cared about suffer like this."

She sucked in a breath that burned her throat.

"I don't really know how I feel about God most times," Tori said, and Jade had never been so grateful to hear the girl's voice. "But I think if He puts people in situations like this… then he gives them people to hold onto them. So they're never alone."

Tori shifted on the small bed. "That's what you're here for, Jade. So Evie's never alone. Somebody's always watching out for her, when God can't do it, or when it seems like nobody's paying attention. You're here."

"I'm not a big enough person," Jade said before she could stop herself. "He gave the job to the wrong person."

"I don't think so," Tori said after a moment. "I really don't think so. I think in this situation, He got it exactly right."

* * *

When Jade opened her eyes again the RV had stopped. She brushed hair out of her face and rolled over. In the light pouring in through the little window, she could see Tori and Cat, asleep in their bed. Next to her Evie was still.

The door opened and Annie came in. "We're here, Jadey," she whispered. "Will you be my helper?"

"Yeah," Jade said.

In the darkness they gathered up Evie's medications and equipment; when they had finished Kent came in and lifted his daughter up out of bed. "Come on, sweetheart," he said.

They moved like an unfortunate parade through the RV, passing the boys, who were sacked out on the benches up front watching "Anchorman" on the TV.

"Good luck," Andre said.

Beck reached out and touched Jade's arm; the heavy warmth grounded her, all the way down to her toes. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to.

Outside the lights were blinding. Against the ebony canvas of night, the Roth Memorial Children's Hospital rose up white and pure. It had all the power of an icon in a church – something sacred, something holy, full of hopes and misfired promises.

An ambulance wailed past as they walked through the automatic doors. The lobby smelled like a hospital; they always did, Jade thought. No matter how sophisticated or specialized, all hospitals smelled alike after awhile. Sometimes it was depressing, sometimes it was reassuring.

A white-haired woman rose up from behind the information desk. "Can I get you a gurney?"

"That'd be nice," Kent said.

Things began to happen quickly, then. Two orderlies hurried up with a gurney, and Evie lay curled up in the middle of the white sheets, looking impossibly small and fragile. Annie arranged her equipment around her.

"Right this way," one of the orderlies said as he steered the gurney towards the Emergency Room.

Through a set of double doors and down a short hallway, and then they were in the middle of an exam room. The orderlies disappeared somewhere, and a doctor grabbed Annie and started asking questions.

Jade stood by the head of the gurney, gripping the silvery rail as hard as she could. The pain meant something – Evie was going to be all right.

Another doctor came over to Evie and flicked a penlight in her eyes. "Evie!" he called loudly. "Evie, can you hear me?"

"Hmm," Evie said breathily, and pulled away from him a little.

"Good job," the doctor said. "Squeeze my hand, Evie!"

Jade held her breath.

Evie said "Hmm" again, and then, in a movement so slow and calculated that it could have been easily missed, she squeezed the doctor's hand.

"Good job!" the doctor praised.

A nurse pulled down Evie's T-shirt collar and drew blood out of one of the lumens of her central line, then flushed it with heparin. "We'll get some labs running right away, Dr. Smith," she said.

"How long has she been like this?" the doctor asked, and Jade realized he was talking to her.

"Um, since like eleven o'clock this morning," Jade replied, thinking back to the morning's events.

"And she had a period of sustained high heart rate, followed by a desaturation?"

"Yeah."

"Was anything about her routine different?" the doctor asked, turning to Annie.

Annie shook her head. "Just the same stuff – CPT, nebulizers, antibiotics."

"When did you start the new antibiotic infusion?"

"Around… nine o'clock this morning," Annie replied.

The doctor nodded, scribbling it all down. He took a quick look at Evie's infusion pump, smoothing the label on the antibiotic bag with his thumbnail. "Oh, yeah, this explains it. We've actually seen this recently," he said as he shut off the infusion pump and disconnected the bag from the central line. "A batch of these antibiotics got mislabeled – they're actually a much higher dosage than they should be. Too much of the med gets infused and the patient ends up groggy and unstable."

He flushed out the line. "We just need to give her some fluids and a new med to counteract the overdose. She should be fine in about an hour or so."

"Are you serious?" Jade asked.

"Mm-hmm," the doctor said. "Now that we stopped the med, she should start perking up here in a few minutes. I'll get the orders written for fluids and we'll push the meds right away."

He scribbled one final note and moved away, to one of the medication carts.

Evie blinked up at Jade. "Jadey…"

"Evie," Jade said.

Evie reached up and yanked off her ventilator attachment. Annie hurried forward and hit the "silent" button before the alarms could sound. "Hey, sweetie," Annie said.

"I don't remember… this ride," Evie said, still blinking up at the fluorescent lights overhead.

"We're not at Disney World yet, sweetie," Annie said. "How do you feel?"

"Dopey."

The doctor came back, hanging fluids, hooking up Evie's central line, and administered a syringe of medication directly into the other lumen. "Well, hello there," he said.

"I don't know you," Evie said, frowning at him.

"We haven't been formally introduced," the doctor said. "I'm Dr. Smith."

"Oh, shit," Evie said.

"_Evie_," Kent said.

"It's quite all right," the doctor said, laughing. "I can understand how scary it is to wake up somewhere unfamiliar."

To Evie, he said, "We just gave you some medication and you should be feeling better very soon. We'll just keep you on the monitors for a bit to make sure you don't go south on us."

Evie tried to sit up, grabbing the gurney's rails and trying to jerk herself upright.

"Hey, sweetie, it's okay," Annie said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Put your vent back on and relax."

Evie made a garbled sound with her mouth, and shoved herself forward.

Sensing what was coming, Kent grabbed a basin from the closest counter, and Jade hauled her sister upright. Evie leaned over and gagged. With one arm around her sister's waist, Jade brushed Evie's hair out of the way with her other. "It's okay," she said. "It's okay. We're all here."

Evie gagged again, and then slumped over the basin, exhausted. "I'm okay," she repeated, her voice muffled. "I don't think I'll…"

She threw up.

"I'm okay," she repeated, and wiped her mouth on her shirt.

And though her eyes were filled with tears and she was as pale as the gurney sheets, for the first time in a long time, Jade believed her.

* * *

When they got back to the RV, Cat and Tori were in the living space with the boys. They were eating popcorn and playing poker.

"Evie, go change your clothes," Annie said as she lifted the ventilator and the oxygen compressor onto the RV.

"Can I have some popcorn?" Evie asked, carefully going up the steps.

"It's your call," Annie said.

"Awesome!"

Jade sat down next to Beck; he put his arm around her and brought the popcorn bowl closer. "Too much excitement for one night?" he asked.

"Well, we met a cute doctor," Evie said, taking a handful of popcorn.

"Yes, Evie impressed him with her gastrointestinal fireworks," Jade said.

"_Jade_," Kent said.

"I'm just telling the truth," Jade said.

"You look much better," Tori said to Evie.

"Yeah, I feel much better," Evie said.

"What was the problem?" Cat asked.

"Turns out, I was OD'ing on antibiotics," Evie said, munching popcorn.

"I didn't even know that was possible," Robbie said.

"Yeah, neither did we," Annie said.

"I like to keep things interesting," Evie said around a mouthful of popcorn.

"Now, could we please get to Orlando without any further interruptions?" Kent asked, starting the RV. "No bears, no pigs in eyeliner…"

"French-Canadian painter," Annie interrupted.

"… no more pulling a Paris Hilton and OD'ing in the middle of the day, okay?"

"Dad, do you even know who Paris Hilton is?" Jade asked after a moment.

"Don't make him answer that question," Annie said. "Remember when he thought he knew who Keanu Reeves was?"

"I've seen that movie!" Kent shot back, pulling the RV out of the hospital parking lot.

"Uh-huh," Jade said. "And what was it called?"

"Oh, I don't know, but he played that character with the sunglasses. You know, Nemo."

There was silence as the teens tried to figure out the movie reference.

Kent, disgusted by their inability to grasp it, elaborated, "And there was that guy from _The Lord of the Rings_, except he was wearing a suit."

More confused silence.

"Oh, _come_ on – now you're just messing with me! I know what's up! I watch the TMZ!"

"Should have just stuck with the pig with eyeliner, Dad," Jade said, rolling her eyes.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: **So here's a bit of silly Disney fluff. I hope you enjoy this chapter - and reviews are love!

* * *

"Wake up!" Cat howled at nearly dog-only range, flinging a pillow at Jade. "_Wake up!"_

"What?" Jade asked.

"Did you see that sign?" Cat asked, bouncing up and down on the bed.

"Cat, I'm exhausted. Insert a witty comment here, and then sit down and shut up," Jade said.

"It said _Orlando!"_ Cat squealed. "We're here! We're _here!"_

She threw her hands in the air and squealed again.

"Cat," Tori said, pulling her pillow over her head. "Go back to sleep."

"But we're _here!"_

It was difficult to argue with such enthusiasm; within a few minutes, all four girls were out of bed, pulling on their clothes and chattering excitedly.

"Orlando's so… shiny," Evie said, suctioning out her trach tube.

"Gooey Lungs, point that somewhere else," Jade griped as she reached for her hairbrush.

Evie grinned.

"I wonder where Mickey Mouse lives," Cat said. She fiddled with a bright blue butterfly clip.

"I think he lives in that castle at Disney World," Tori said.

"No, that's where Cinderella lives," Cat replied. "Silly."

"They can't _all_ live there?'

"Why would mice live with princesses?" Cat asked. "I think there's probably a law against that somewhere."

"So maybe they all live at Hogwarts with Harry Potter," Evie said. "There's plenty of room there, and Dumbledore seems like a chill guy."

Jade looked over at her sister, as though to say "What are you _talking_ about?" Evie merely grinned in response as she threaded a new tie through her tracheostomy tube, obviously loving teasing Cat.

"And how do they get back to Disney World every day?" Cat wanted to know.

"Brooms?" Evie suggested.

"I don't think Mickey Mouse would do so well on a broom," Tori said. "He seems kinda… top heavy."

"There's probably a shuttle bus," Cat said, nodding. "Makes much more sense."

"Yeah, sure does," Tori said.

Cat grinned.

Twenty minutes later the RV was parked in front of the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, and Annie was barking orders at the bellhops. "No, no, that has to go on the top! Do you see the _fragile_ sticker on it?"

"Listen, after we get checked in, your mother is going to take a nap, even if she doesn't know it yet," Kent said to Jade, "and you guys are going over to Epcot for awhile. Keep an eye on Evie for us – and don't get into any trouble."

"What's our bail limit?" Jade asked, keeping a straight face.

Kent studied her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was kidding. "Just remember we've got to pay for gas to get back to LA, Jadey."

Jade smiled.

* * *

"Where should we go first?" Tori asked, unfolding an Epcot map.

"France!" Robbie exclaimed.

"France?" Rex asked. "All they've got there is frog legs and… oh, and cancan dancers. Sure, France."

"Plus, it's right there," Robbie said, pointing.

"And it says here we can meet Mulan in the China pavilion!" Tori read.

"_Really?"_ Cat squealed.

"I was going to make a sarcastic comment about how I'd finally be able to cross that off my bucket list, but I seriously can't do that in good conscience," Jade said to Beck. "Look at how excited she is."

The cobbles beneath their feet were warm and the super-clean atmosphere of Disney was instantly enchanting. In the France pavilion, Robbie and Rex posed for a street artist, a cheerful young woman in a bright red vest who sketched their likeness on an upright pad of newsprint. Evie watched in rapt attention, trying to capture each move of the woman's wrist as her black marker turned simple lines into the perfect representation of a boy and his puppet.

"Thees ees for you," the "French" Disney employee said, blushing, and ripped the sheet off the pad, handing it to Robbie. "You are a handsome couple."

"Um, _merci_," Robbie said, looking at the drawing, a little confused.

"Couple?" Rex demanded.

There was a nice breeze blowing across the World Showcase Lagoon, and Jade smiled as Beck put his arm around her. Cat grabbed the back of Evie's wheelchair and ran with it up a small incline. Evie threw her arms out to the sides and giggled.

In the American pavilion, a Revolutionary War-esque band was playing American folk songs, complete with fife and drum and powdered wigs.

"This place is like Pleasantville," Jade said to Beck.

"You're such a Negative Nancy."

"No, I'm serious. Everything's clean and the people are friendly… if we were in LA somebody would have thrown a Slurpee at us by now."

"Jade…"

"Okay, well, not _us_ – but Puppet Boy," Jade elaborated.

"An oom-pah band!" Cat squealed, hearing the sounds emanating from the German pavilion.

"Cat, Cat, _slow down!"_ Evie hollered, trying to hang on as the redhead ran with her chair.

Cat just giggled, swerving in and out of groups of tourists.

"Man, we'd better stop her before she kills somebody," Andre said.

"I heard that if you look like you're going to die on Disney property, they have goons who pop out and take you 'off-property,'" Robbie said. He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"That has to be the creepiest urban legend I've ever heard," Tori said.

"Creepier than the one Sikowitz told us about the panda and the…"

"_Never speak of it!"_ Tori interrupted Andre.

"Sorry. Forgot you're touchy about the panda."

"It's just wrong, okay?"

Cat finally slowed Evie's chair in front of the German oom-pah band, and stared raptly at the tubas. "Do you think they take requests?" she asked.

"Do you know many German folk songs?" Evie wanted to know.

"No," Cat said.

"Then I don't think they take requests."

"Fooey. I wanted them to play 'Complicated.'"

"By Avril Lavigne?" Evie asked, unsure of how she'd gotten herself into such an odd conversation.

"Yeah," Cat said, as though Evie was a bit slow.

"That's not a German folk song," Evie said.

"But wouldn't it be _awesome?"_ Cat asked, beaming.

The rest of the group caught up with them, and Andre grabbed Cat and started dancing with her. Cat's giggled echoed in the little "German" square, drawing the attention of knots of tourists, who were clearly amused by the duo's dance antics.

"Don't even think about it," Jade said to Beck.

"Fine," Beck said. "Evie, you want to dance?"

Evie looked from Beck to Jade, and then said, "Sure. Give me a second."

She locked her wheelchair brakes, then detached herself from her ventilator and stood up, a little shakily.

Beck took her hands in his. "Just relax and follow my lead."

"I bet you say that to all the ladies," Evie said breathily.

"Just the ones I dance with."

"So, all the ladies."

"Your sister doesn't dance with me," Beck said, leading Evie in a circle, close enough for Jade to hear.

"She doesn't dance with just anybody," Evie informed him seriously. "Well, except for sometimes in her bedroom."

"_Evie_," Jade said.

Evie grinned.

"If you ever happen to be there, you know, with a camera..." Beck trailed off, smiling.

"You got it," Evie replied.

"Do it and I'll squash you like a bug, Gooey Lungs," Jade said as the dancing couple went around again.

When the oom-pah band finished their song, everyone applauded. "Ve are taking a tventy-minute beer break," one of the tuba players said. "Please join us in zee beer hall for refreshments."

"Ooh, refreshments!" Cat exclaimed.

"We can't go into a beer hall," Robbie informed her.

"What? Why?"

"Because we're hopelessly underage," Robbie said.

Cat looked on the verge of a major pout, but Tori quickly said, "Well, good! We can go to China and meet Mulan."

"Yay!" Cat said. "I'm gonna ask her how things worked out with that handsome army guy she was dating!"

She skipped ahead of the group.

"It's so easy to please her," Tori said.

"It's a little unnerving sometimes," Jade said.

Evie reattached herself to her ventilator. "I kinda want to meet Mulan, too. I mean, at the end of that movie there were some seriously unresolved issues."

"Evie, it's not _really_ Mulan," Jade said.

"I know," Evie said, taking up the handles of her wheelchair and pushing it in front of her. "But wouldn't it be fun to see if we could get a Disney employee to break character?"

Jade laughed.

Beck looked from one West sister to another. "You two are most definitely related," he said.

"Damn straight," Jade said.

"And don't you forget it," Evie said.

* * *

Next chapter: What happens when Cat finally meets Mulan? What else does Epcot have in store for our group?


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N**: I apologize for the delay between chapters. Between this chapter and the previous one, I packed up my life, moved home from college, took about a day to breathe, had a massive graduation to-do, then packed up _again_ and headed 3000 miles away from home to visit my best friend, who I haven't seen in 4 years. I'm having a blast visiting her - we're having a "Glee" marathon and it's tons of fun. So, sorry, but I've had a lot going on. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner. Enjoy. :)

* * *

In the square in front of the China pavilion, "Mulan" was surrounded by children of all sizes. She knelt to speak to a blond-haired girl, then posed for pictures with two boys in orange T-shirts.

Cat flew up the path in front of them, squealing with excitement. "Mulan!" she called, waving excitedly.

Then she stopped abruptly and turned to Tori and Jade. "Guys," she said, lowering her voice, "what happens if she only speaks Chinese?"

"Um…" Jade said, clearly never considering that particular issue.

"Charades?" Tori suggested.

"Oh! Okay!" Cat beamed.

The crowd around Mulan dissipated and Cat skipped up to her and threw her arms around her. "Hi, Mulan!"

Mulan gave Cat a smile and looked towards her Disney-employee handler, uncertain of the proper response.

"We came all the way from LA to see you! Well, not specifically you – we're here to see Harry Potter. But I'm so excited to meet you! Do you do this every day? Do you live in that house up there?" Cat pointed towards one of the main buildings in the China pavilion.

"Take a breath," Jade ordered Cat.

Cat grinned at Mulan.

"Would you like to take a picture with her?" the handler asked.

"Oh, _can_ I?"

"Sure, you all can."

The group posed around Mulan, and Beck handed the handler the Wests' camera. "Smile!" the handler said.

With the camera returned, the group was about to head into the China pavilion. Cat turned back towards Mulan. "How are things going with that army guy you're dating?" she asked.

Jade grabbed Cat by the arm and dragged her away. "Leave the Chinese hero alone."

"Bye!" Cat called.

Beck slowed down to walk next to Evie, who lagged a bit behind, pushing her wheelchair in front of her. "You think word will get out an excitable redhead and her posse is attacking Disney characters?" he asked.

Evie snorted. "It wouldn't surprise me. Is that handler on her walkie-talkie yet?"

Beck looked over his shoulder. "Nope."

"Then we're probably safe," Evie replied.

They caught up with the rest of the group in the outdoor stalls attached to the China pavilion. Andre, with obvious glee, manipulated the strings of a monkey marionette. "Dance, monkey! Oh, look, he can do the disco!"

"See, aren't you glad you don't have strings?" Robbie asked Rex.

"Strings might be worth it if I could dance like that," Rex answered. "Fool's got some moves."

"Now he's doing the running man!" Andre said.

Cat picked up a cone-shaped straw hat from a booth and dropped it on Jade's head. "What do you think?"

"About what?" Jade grumbled sarcastically, shoving the hat out of her eyes.

"A good look," Beck said. "You think we should get matching hats?"

"Matching Mickey Mouse ears!" Evie suggested with obvious glee.

"Oh, that'd be adorable," Tori said.

"Shut it, Vega," Jade said, yanking off the Chinese hat.

"It's so happening," Beck whispered to Tori and Evie.

"_What_ did you say?" Jade demanded.

"Nothing," Beck said, smiling.

* * *

They continued around the World Showcase, stopping in front of the Norway Pavilion.

"Doesn't look like there's any line for the ride," Beck said, reading a sign in front of the entrance to the ride. "Should we get on?"

"Our first ride!" Evie said happily. "Ooh, I'm so excited!"

She eagerly pushed her wheelchair in front of her into the darkened hallway leading down to the ride.

"I guess we better follow her," Beck said.

They arrived at the front of the line, and were greeted by a fresh-faced man in a polo shirt. "Welcome to Norway!" he said.

Evie turned to look at Jade. "How are we going to do this?" she asked.

Jade sized up Evie and her equipment. "Andre, you get in the boat first," she directed. "Tori, you hand down the vent and the suction. Beck can lift Evie in."

They quickly moved to follow her suggestions, with the ride staff looking on. "You've got things down to a science," the polo-wearing man said.

"Not exactly. It's our first ride," Evie said, giving him a smile.

"Then I hope it's everything you're expecting," the man said.

"Ready, Evie?" Beck asked as Andre settled the suction machine next to him.

"I guess so," Evie said, a little breathlessly.

"Careful, careful," Jade said under her breath.

"Trust me," Beck said, and scooped Evie into his arms, lifting her up and over the side of the boat.

She laughed as her feet left the ground, suddenly free from all constraints except the tubes trailing her down to the ventilator. Beck leaned over and set her on the boat seat next to Andre. Gleefully Cat leapt into the last remaining seat in the row.

Robbie, Rex, and Tori climbed into the row behind them, and Jade and Beck slung themselves into the last row. "Evie, you just holler if you need something," Jade said.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm sure that's going to work out well," Evie said, pushing her ventilator attachment up onto her trach. "We're on a boat."

Which, of course, was the cue for the polo-shirted ride attendant to start the ride, jerking the Norwegian boat into the darkness, and for Andre to sing, "_I'm on a boat…"_

"I'm on a boat!" Robbie agreed from the next row.

Cat turned around a little in her seat. "Hey, Jade! It's awfully dark on this ride! Are you and Beck gonna… _kiss?"_ She giggled.

"None of your business!" Jade snapped.

"Probably," Beck said.

Cat giggled as the boat jerked forward into the darkness. Some lights came up, and a deep voice came over the speakers, describing some of Norway's greatest triumphs. Fierce animatronics with Viking hats and furry vests popped out of the darkness, brandishing swords and battle axes.

Robbie let out a girly squeal, and Rex chortled.

"They're very… realistic," Robbie said after a moment, readjusting his shirt and glasses.

The ride continued, taking the boat through vignettes of Norwegian triumph and tragedy. The boat spooled around another corner, taking the passengers past a mocked-up oil rig, sparks and stars shining in the blue darkness. "Wow," Jade murmured unconsciously.

"Pretty amazing, huh?" Beck asked, and kissed her on the cheek.

The rest of the ride was filled with Norwegian charm and good sentiments, followed by a scary troll popping out of a tree stump. Robbie squealed again; Cat giggled and grabbed onto Evie, who laughed out loud.

The lights were awfully bright as the boat floated out of darkness, returning to the platform where the polo-shirted attendants were waiting. "How was it?" the guy asked.

"Extremely authentic!" Cat said.

"Cat, you've never been to Norway," Andre said.

"But it's just what it looks like in my head," Cat said, grinning up at the attendant.

"Cat, get out of the boat," Jade said.

"Oh, yay!"

Beck leaned in and lifted Evie out of the boat. "How was it, Evie-kins?"

"_Tres_ Norwegian," Evie said as she was in the air.

They walked out of the air-conditioned comfort and back out into the World Showcase. Evie sat down in her wheelchair; Jade stepped up to push her. Cat giggled and scurried in front of them.

"Let's go on the Mexico ride!" she suggested, clapping her hands.

"You guys go," Evie said. "I'm tired. Don't feel like getting out of this rattletrap."

"I'll stay with her," Jade said. "Buy me a sombrero or something."

"If you're not serious, you're going to totally regret it," Beck said. He kissed her on the top of her head, and then followed the rest of the group up the steps of the Mexican pyramid.

"We'll meet you up at the fountain," Jade called. "It's on the map!"

"Okay! Sounds good!"

For a bit Jade just wheeled Evie along, listening to groups of tourists talking and laughing around them. They skirted a mother reaming out a recalcitrant toddler, and as they passed, Jade said, "Do you remember being that little?"

"Are we getting philosophical here?" Evie asked.

"It's just a question."

"Of course I remember being that little," Evie said. "You told me Jell-O was the blood of Care Bears. And _don't_ you smile."

Jade was already smiling, of course. "Somebody eventually told you the truth."

"Two _years_, Jadey – two _years_ I believed that poor innocent Care Bears were being slaughtered and shoved into those little plastic cups!"

"And you turned out just fine."

"So far."

Jade was thoughtful for a bit, wheeling Evie along the path. "It's pretty here, huh?"

"More kind words from the cynical-hearted?"

"I'm just saying…"

"It's just like LA," Evie said, leaning her head back onto the wheelchair's head rest. "It's warm, there's palm trees…"

"Well, maybe we should have just stayed home."

"You're such a dork."

"Am I?"

"True story."

They passed through the archways of Future World, the shade a sudden and welcome relief from the sun. "Should we buy some horrific T-shirts?" Jade asked as they crossed in front of the store.

"I don't want a T-shirt, but I'm sure there's something in there I just can't live without," Evie replied.

The store was crowded, filled with all sorts of tourists, grabbing T-shirts, sweatshirts, and coffee mugs from racks. Jade pushed Evie past a tall stand displaying Tinkerbell T-shirts. "Hey, look, stuffed animals!" Evie said.

She grabbed her push-rims and rolled away from Jade. "Oh, look, they have the aliens from _Toy Story!"_

She rolled up to the rack and pulled one of the aliens down to look at it. "It's such a cutie, huh, Jade?"

Evie turned, but Jade was gone, swept up into the tourist crowd. "Jade?"

"Hey, lady," came a childish voice. "Hey, lady, are you gonna buy that alien?"

Evie turned her wheelchair. To her right was a pair of children in Mickey Mouse ears – a boy with Peter Pan on his red T-shirt, and a little girl, clinging to his hand, the traces of a blue Slurpee decorating the corners of her mouth.

"Do you think I should buy that alien?" Evie asked.

"Yeah," the boy said. "They're the best. They have little alien guns. _Pew-pew-pew_."

The girl tugged on his hand, and he tilted his head down. She whispered something into his ear, and then he said, "My sister wants to know if you're an alien."

"Me? No," Evie said. "But I'm not from around here."

"'Cause you have all those tubes," the boy said. "You kinda look like something from a movie."

"Not that kind of alien," Evie said. "I'm from California."

"That's not another planet," the boy said, sounding disappointed.

"No, sorry," Evie said.

"So what's with all the machinery?" the boy went on. "Are you a robot?"

Evie shrugged. "I'm just a high school student. Do I look like a robot?"

"Yes," the boy said honestly, and the girl nodded, her wide eyes still focused on Evie.

"Do you like robots?"

"Yeah," the boy said, as though that should be second nature. "Robots are awesome. So are aliens."

"I guess I'll have to work on being a robot," Evie said.

"You kinda look like one already," the boy said. "Can you shoot lasers out of your fingers?"

"No," Evie said, "but that would be cool."

"What can you do?"

"Um…" Evie thought about this. "I can sorta pop a wheelie in my chair. But if my sister sees me do it she'll kill me, so don't tell her, okay?"

"Okay," the boy said eagerly, looking excited at the possibility of danger.

"Hold my alien?" Evie said, and passed him the stuffed toy.

She adjusted the tubes connecting her to the ventilator and made sure she wouldn't jerk them loose. Then, with a series of quick moves, she grabbed her push-rims and yanked upwards, bringing the wheelchair's front wheels off the ground a fraction.

The kids clapped frantically. "Wow," the girl said.

"That's cool," the boy said. "If you buy the alien, is he going to ride on your chair?"

"I guess so," Evie said. "Would that be a good idea?"

"Mm-hmm," the boy said.

"And what should I name him?"

"Steve," the boy answered promptly.

"That's a good name," Evie said. "I'm Evie. Do you think it would be funny if we were Steve and Evie?"

"Yes," the boy said.

"Well, then, I guess it's settled," Evie said.

"You're pretty," the girl said, and ducked her head a little, smiling up through her bangs at Evie.

"Thanks," Evie said. "You're pretty too."

"Evie!" came Jade's voice from across the store.

"That's my sister," Evie said to the little kids.

"She sounds angry," the boy said.

"It's just 'cause she loves me," Evie said. "Much like you love your sister."

"Yeah," the boy said, smiling sheepishly.

As Jade strode towards them, he put his hand out and patted Evie on the shoulder. "Have fun at Disney World, robot girl."

"You too, Peter Pan," Evie said, and reached out to give him a hug. "And you, little miss."

The kids had disappeared into the crowd by the time Jade reached Evie, but the smile the kids had put on her face still remained. "Meet my new friend, Jadey," Evie said. "His name is Steve."

"How'd you come up with Steve?" Jade asked, reaching for the wheelchair handles.

"Oh, I had some help," Evie said, still grinning. Little kids are the _best_, she thought. They make this place even _more_ magical – I didn't even think that was possible.


	35. Author's Note

**A Much-Needed Author's Note:**

Hi everybody! I wanted to let you know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth – and I owe you a bit of an explanation!

So here's the situation:

I am at one of my favorite places in the whole wide world, a camp for kids with disabilities. I'll be here for the majority of the summer. I am basically on call 24-6 once camp starts (3 pm Friday-12noon Sunday is my time off) and by the end of the day I'm usually way too tired to do anything but set up my camper's stuff for the next morning and then try to get 5 or so hours of sleep.

So obviously this will impede my ability to post new chapters. I do have some two-hour breaks throughout the week, and if I'm not too tired I plan on writing during those breaks (otherwise I just nap).

I have _tomorrow_ (Thursday) off, and I'm planning on getting up a new chapter for you then. But after that it will be quite a while, at least a week or more, until I can get another chapter up.

Please be patient with me… no way is this story over, not by a long shot! I've got so much more to give you and I'm totally excited about all the possibilities. It'll just take me a little longer to get the chapters to you.

And if you'd like my physical address, to send letters, postcards, or packages ('cause some people like to), please PM me and I'll get it out to you. I love getting mail and I always write back to people who send mail to me! It's a big deal to get mail here, it breaks up the days and keeps me excited about the outside real world. :)

Thanks so much! - memorysdaughter


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N:** So here's a fun chapter for you all, with promises of more in a week or so. If you haven't already, please read the author's note that preceded this chapter. I'll be able to check my email throughout the week, so I'll know if folks review. And thank you to everyone who has reviewed or sent messages so far - you're all amazing and I'm thrilled to have readers like you! :)

* * *

"Ooh!" Cat squealed as she caught sight of the big, fluffy beds in the hotel room. Dropping her suitcase in the doorway, she practically sprinted across the room and dove into one, disappearing into the pile of pillows and comforters.

"Wow," Tori said from the doorway.

"It's so comfy!" Cat's voice came from somewhere in the middle of the bed. Her head popped up like a prairie dog performing surveillance, the bright red accentuating the all-white bedding. "I feel like rolling around and making a snow angel!"

"A bed angel," Jade corrected, stepping over Cat's suitcase.

"Whatever," Cat agreed happily.

Their room was adjacent to the one shared by the West parents, and across the hall from the room that would be shared by the three boys and one puppet. Annie had already been into the room already, setting up Evie's machinery and putting some of the bigger pieces of luggage away.

"Who's first for the shower?" Annie asked now, appearing in the doorway between the two rooms.

"I think I'm just gonna sleep like this," Cat replied, which wasn't really a reply at all. She rolled herself around in the covers. "Mmmm!"

"Cat, where am I supposed to sleep?" Tori wanted to know, pulling her suitcase into the room.

"Oh," came Cat's muffled voice.

"Although truthfully, that pull-out couch looks bigger than our bed in the RV," Tori mused.

"Nobody's sleeping on the pull-out couch," Annie said.

"No, of course not," Cat agreed, appearing from the middle of the bed.

"I'll take the first shower," Evie said, since no one else had responded to Annie's question.

"Let Jadey have the first shower," Annie suggested, "and we'll do your treatment first."

"Oh, Mom, really?" Evie said with a hint of a pout.

"We might be in Disney World, but we're still just ordinary mortals," Annie said. "Shower, Jadey."

"Sure, Mom."

There was a rap at the still-open room door, and a dark-haired woman in a bright blue dress stuck her head in. "Hi there!" she said. "You must be Evelyn and friends."

"It's Evie," Evie said, detaching herself from her ventilator and shutting off the alarms.

"Pleased to meet you," the woman said, striding across the room to shake her hand. "I'm Larissa Byler. I work for the Grant a Dream Foundation. We just wanted to get you your welcome basket."

From the hallway she produced a large basket filled with movie-theater-style boxes of candy, some juices, and a gold embossed envelope. "In there you've got your passes for Disney World and the special passes for Universal Studios. When you enter the parks, someone will be there to greet you. And in the envelope there's a special button for you to wear, Evie. It lets everybody know you're somebody special!"

To Annie, she said, "There's a card in there with my number as well. If you folks need _anything_ while you're here, just give us a call. We'll be more than happy to do whatever we can."

"Thank you," Annie said.

"Have a wonderful visit," Larissa said, and then, giving everyone else a smile, disappeared down the hallway.

After she left the room was a bit more subdued and relaxed. Cat was coaxed out of the bed by the promise of candy, and Tori went over to straighten the bedcovers. Jade took her shower kit into the bathroom, and Evie and Annie started the night's treatment.

The pounding of water in the shower was luxurious and hot, but it wasn't enough to block out all the signs of the evening's CF-based torture. Over the hot water's spray, Jade could hear Evie coughing, coughing, always coughing, with gaspy breaths in between – not enough to sustain her, but enough to give her strength for the next round of coughs.

It was definitely true what Annie had said – magical world or not, CF still had a hold on them, and it would, no matter where they went – a barbecue restaurant in Texas or a magical castle populated by wizards, witches, and fantastic creatures.

Some things were just impossible to get away from.

* * *

Later that night, when all four girls were showered and in fresh pajamas, bedded down in their luxurious covers with their heads on plump, fluffy pillows, Jade realized she was the only one still awake. Next to her Evie slept the sleep of the medicated and exhausted, breathing when the ventilator told her to, hooked up to the IV pump and her feeding pump. In the other bed Cat was curled around one of the big fluffy pillow, a small smile on her face that Jade could just make out by the muted light of the lamp in the far corner of the room. Tori curled in the other direction, her breaths like light humming.

From atop the bureau, Evie's newly-purchased stuffed alien friend gave Jade a knowing look.

"We're in this together," she informed it in a whisper.

It didn't reply, which was good. Sure, Disney World was _supposed_ to be magical, but there was a fine line to walk between magical and hallucination.

With a smile on her face, Jade pulled up the covers and fell asleep.

* * *

In the morning, there was a tray of breakfast foods and two carafes of juice and water on the coffee table at the other end of the suite. And next to the tray were four rolled-up red bundles.

"Ooh, presents!" Cat squealed as she leapt out of bed. "And doughnuts!"

Tori and Jade got out of bed, yawning and pulling their hair back. Cat had hurried over to the table and was examining the presents. "They've got our names on them!" she said, and handed one to Tori and Jade. Jade took the last rolled bundle over to Evie, who sat up in bed, readjusting the tubing attaching her to her ventilator.

Tori finished pulling up her hair and undid the stretchy band around her package. "It's a T-shirt," she said as she shook it out. "Aww, look at it!"

The T-shirt she was holding was bright red, with white printing on the front and the back. On the front was a stylized logo, reading "Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC. Diagon Alley." Below that was the notation, done in a Harry Potter-esque font: "Universal Studios Grant-a-Dream Trip 2011." On the back was a quote written in the same Harry Potter font: "CF is rough but we are tough."

"Wow!" Evie cried with a laugh. "That's awesome!"

"We are going to be the best-looking tour group in the park!" Cat agreed.

"They'll be able to see us from space," Jade said as she peeled a banana, looking at the shirts. "We'll look like we've escaped from a school… like we should be looking for a short bus."

"Oh, Jade," Cat said, looking distraught.

"We'll look just _fine_," Evie said, shooting a glare at Jade.

"And if one of us gets lost…" Tori said.

"Do you think they got the puppet one?" Jade asked, sitting down on the couch with her banana.

"It'd be awesome if they did," Evie said.

There was a knock at the door between the girls' room and the Wests' room, and Annie came in, dressed in denim Capri pants and her own red T-shirt. "Good morning, ladies!" she said. "I see you found your shirts. Do you like them?"

"I love them!" Cat said.

"They're great, Mom," Evie said.

"Are you ready for treatment?" Annie asked Evie. "We've got a big day ahead of us."

"I'll do Evie's treatment," Jade said, eating the rest of her banana.

"Oh, Jadey, you don't…"

"I know I don't have to, Mom," Jade said. "That's why I'm offering. I bet you can use the time to pack up all the stuff we're going to have to take with us."

"Well, all right," Annie said, a little hesitantly. "There are quite a few things I can't find…"

"Go ahead, Mom. I'll do the treatment."

"Okay, okay," Annie said. "Let's get ready to leave here in about an hour."

"Sounds good!" Tori said.

The girls ate their breakfast pastries and fruit. Cat and Tori took turns in the bathroom, doing their hair and applying lotion and makeup. Evie flushed her central line and her g-tube, then endured her nebulizers, Vest treatment, and chest percussion. Annie came in and out of their room, packing supplies and medicines into backpacks. She fished in one of the bigger suitcases for suction catheters and sunscreen.

At last all four girls were ready, dressed in their red T-shirts. Evie, with the Grant a Dream button pinned to her shirt, put her ventilator and the suction machine on her wheelchair seat, and wheeled it out into the hallway. The boys were there, waiting, in matching T-shirts, even Rex.

"Looking good," Beck said to Jade, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Yeah, yeah," Jade mumbled.

"Who wants to carry a backpack?" Annie asked as she and Kent exited their room. "I've got three."

"I'll take one, dear," Kent said.

"Give me one," Jade said.

"I can take the third one," Beck offered.

"Great," Annie said. "And don't feel like you have to carry those all day. Switch off and on."

She looked at her watch. "There's a bus waiting downstairs for us to take us to Universal Studios. I want to get a picture in front of the hotel before we leave, though."

"_Mom_," Jade groaned.

"Humor your mother, honey," Kent said as Andre pushed the button for the elevator.

"You look good, Andre," Cat said, bobbing up next to the boy.

"You too," Andre said, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"We're wearing the same shirt!" Cat said happily.

"We sure are," Andre said.

Downstairs Annie stopped the group in front of the fountain, and hailed a passing tourist. "Could you take a picture of us?" she asked.

The man looked at the group, attired in their matching shirts and accompanied by what seemed like a month's worth of supplies, and smiled. "You folks look like you're going to have a wonderful time," he said.

"Crowd together, crowd together," Annie said, herding the boys towards the back. They went obligingly, Robbie propping Rex up on his arm.

Annie and Kent stood at the ends of the group. Evie took a seat in her wheelchair, moving her machinery to one side, grinning broadly.

"Ready?" the tourist asked, holding up the camera. "Say cheese!"

There was an assorted series of utterances that could have been "cheese," and the tourist snapped the picture. "Looking good," he said. "Great picture."

"Thank you," Annie said.

He handed back the camera, and gave Evie another smile. "Keep them all in line, okay?"

"I'll try," Evie said. "But they're a wild bunch."

"They'll listen to you," the man said, still smiling.

Annie stowed the camera in her bag, and led the group down the hallway towards the exit.

In front of the hotel was a mini-bus with the entire Harry Potter cast on the sides.

"Wow," Evie breathed.

The doors opened and a man in Gryffindor robes and a wizard's hat came down the steps. "Good morning, fellow travelers!" he said. "I am Mulciber Capulet and I am your tour guide for the day! I will deliver you safely to Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and make sure your tour of the surrounding areas is as _magical_ as possible!"

"Wow," Jade said.

"If your eyes get any bigger, I think they might pop out of your head," Beck said _sotto voce_ into her neck.

"Oh, bite me," she said, but there was no malice in her voice.

"Please, step aboard my admittedly Muggle transport and we shall be on our way," Mulciber Capulet intoned. "And for the seated among us, I will be only too pleased to lower the lift, although I must admit that it, too, is Muggle."

He stepped aside to let the group get on the bus, and went to the back of the bus, where the lift door was built into the side of the vehicle. He opened the door with a sharp pull on the silvery handle, and then used a control box to bring the wheelchair lift down to ground level. "Allow me," he said to Evie, and carefully wheeled her forward onto the lift.

"Thanks," Evie said.

"It is my pleasure," Mulciber said.

He went through the motions of bringing Evie's chair up into the bus, and strapping it down. "And now I must take up my driver's post," he said, and after closing the lift doors, he hurried around the side of the bus to sling himself into the driver's seat. He started up the bus with a turn of the key, and he turned to face those aboard. "But before we can make our journey to Hogwarts, we must all say the magic words."

"Abracadabra!" Robbie exclaimed.

"Close," Mulciber Capulet said. "In this case I am thinking of a spell that would cause our vehicle here to break its Muggle bonds… to _fly_, if I may be so bold as to suggest."

"_Wingardium leviosa!"_ Jade said from the back of the bus.

"Ah, yes, I see we have an eager student already," Mulciber Capulet said. "All together, then!"

"_Wingardium leviosa!"_

And with that, the bus pulled away from the front of the hotel.

"This guy's good," Evie heard her mother say to her father.

"I know," Kent agreed. "And I don't even care that his name is probably Keith and that he probably works at a used-car dealership on the weekends to make ends meet…"

And as the bus headed towards its magical destination, Jade turned back to look at Evie, and found her sister smiling blissfully.

_Magical_, indeed.


	37. Chapter 36

**A/N**: I appreciate all of your support during this time of "away-from-the-computer." I had a seriously busy week and a half with all the training required for my job, and we're going into our first week here, so things will be just as busy for a little while longer. I look forward to giving you a longer chapter either some time this week during a break, or next weekend at the latest. Until then, please enjoy this little vignette!

* * *

As they approached Universal Studios roller-coasters rose up through the palm trees.

"Wicked," Andre pronounced.

Robbie, who had his face smashed against the window, agreed. "Sweet."

"You'd get so sick," Rex said. "Or pee yourself. Did you bring spare pants?"

"Oh, shut up," Robbie said to the puppet.

"Well, did you?"

"No."

Jade stood up and awkwardly made her way to the back of the bus, where Evie rocked back and forth with the motion of the vehicle, her eyes closed. "Evie," Jade whispered.

Evie didn't open her eyes, but she said, "Hmm?"

"I just wanted to say… thank you."

"For what?"

"For bringing all of us here."

"I think Dad might have had more to do with that," Evie replied, a small smile playing over her lips, eyes still closed.

"Well, then thank you for bringing us all together," Jade said.

Evie thought about this, then shifted herself in her wheelchair, sitting up straighter. She opened her eyes and looked at Jade. "I appreciate the sentiment, Jadey, but believe me when I say that you could have brought these people all together… you have it within you."

"I'm not that nice."

"You're not," Evie agreed, "but you _could_ be. And maybe… maybe someday it'll be your turn."

"And where will you be?"

"I'm going to stay with Dumbledore," Evie answered promptly. "I'm just going to stay. And someday…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes left Jade's face and flicked over to the bus window.

"And someday what?" Jade prompted.

Evie stared out at the scenery for a moment, and then brought her eyes back to Jade's face. "Someday you'll understand," she said, and then she closed her eyes and said no more.


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N:** I had a positive first week at my beloved camp, marred only by a 12-hour stomach virus that got passed around camp. I thankfully got it Friday, so my time with my camper was not impacted. (It just messed up my Friday fun, that's for sure!)

Here's another chapter for you all - not as long as I wanted it to be, but just as much as I could write today. Hopefully I'll have another chapter up next Friday or Saturday. Enjoy! And thanks to all my readers and reviewers - you're just awesome!

* * *

The little bus took the exit marked for Universal Studios, but passed right by its gates. Mulciber Capulet kept driving until he spotted a small access road on the right hand side of the road. Then, with obvious glee, he signaled for a turn and performed a perfect right turn onto the road.

"Hang on, travelers!" Mulciber intoned as he gave the bus some more gas. The vehicle passed easily over a few feet of paved road, and then began jolting up and down as the road turned into dirt. "Not quite as smooth as brooms, eh?"

His joke got a few laughs out of the group in the van.

"I've never been on a broom," Cat said, her eyes wide.

"Allow me to assure you that it is the smoothest of rides," Mulciber said. "Especially some of the newer models. I hope that you will be able to enjoy a similar ride today – not in this Muggle heap of gears, of course, but once we get home."

"Home," Jade mused, a small smile playing on her lips. She liked the idea of Hogsmeade being home.

After a few minutes the bus pulled up in front of a red wooden gate. To one side was a small keypad and a speaker. Mulciber stopped the bus and rolled his window down. "Hmm," he said, and then keyed in a code. There was a moment or so of silence, and then a British-accented voice played over the speaker: "Password."

"Um… flobberworm," Mulciber said.

"Enjoy your stay," the speaker voice said. "And please remember to respect the spell limits."

With that, the gate swung open, and they were inside.

"Wake up, Evie," Annie said gently, and rubbed Evie's knee.

Evie opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw were the rising roofs of Hogsmeade, snow-covered and pointy, reaching up towards the very blue Florida sky. "Wow," she breathed.

Mulciber kept driving. Alongside the road now were wooden signs. Some had purely descriptive titles, like "Maintenance Sheds" and "Guest Assistance," while others leaned a bit towards the more fantastical: "Dragon Parking" and "Ollivander's Deliveries." There were two more that stood out, bigger than the others: "Hogwarts – 6.6 klicks" and "Please respect the spell limits."

After a series of quick turns on winding little roads, Mulciber pulled the bus into a small parking lot occupied by two similar buses. "Alas, fellow travelers, this is where we must leave our Muggle transport and continue on foot."

He scrambled out of the front seat, robes flying behind him, to open the door to the wheelchair lift. Annie unhooked Evie's wheelchair from the floor, and the others gathered their backpacks and purses.

Once on the ground, Evie was wracked by a sudden spurt of coughing. Annie fairly bolted off the bus, the oxygen compressor over her shoulder, and hurried to hook the oxygen tubing into Evie's ventilator. Evie ripped off the ventilator attachment, ignoring the blaring alarms, and hunched her shoulders, trying to get more air into her lungs to cough.

Like a pit crew at a NASCAR event, Annie and Kent moved into action. Annie yanked the backpack off Kent's back and pulled out an oxygen mask. She hooked it to the tubing and held it over Evie's trach, then cranked the dial on the oxygen compressor up almost as far as it would go.

Kent took Jade's backpack from her and unzipped it, coming out with two handfuls of inhalers and a trach spacer. He fitted the first inhaler into the spacer and handed it to Annie. Without breaking stride, Annie switched out the oxygen mask for the inhaler and puffed it into Evie's trach.

Jade stood by Evie's head, holding her sister's hand as Evie's arms jerked in towards her body. "It's okay, Evie," she whispered, although she knew it wasn't.

It just wasn't fair – they had gotten so damn close to the magic and they were about to be derailed by the goddamn monster living in her sister's lungs. It was hard to watch Evie suffer – harder still when they were supposed to be enjoying something wonderful.

Tears rolled down Evie's face as she breathed, hacked, coughed, breathed, coughed, coughed, coughed. Kent kept passing Annie inhalers and Annie kept doing puffs in between rests on the oxygen mask.

To his credit Mulciber did nothing and said nothing, and kept his expression blank. Jade wondered just how much he had seen in his time as a Grant a Dream liaison, if they were the worst, or if he was thinking about his KISS cover band or something as equally elsewhere.

Annie handed the oxygen mask to Kent and flipped open the top of the suction bag. She ripped open a new suction catheter and hooked it up to the machine, then suctioned out Evie's trach. "Put the vent back on, baby," Annie said softly. "Do it for Momma, huh?"

Evie struggled for her next breath and coughed twice more, but she didn't fight Annie as her mother fitted the ventilator attachment back over her trach. Her body went limp as the vent gave her a breath, and she leaned her head back as she allowed the machine to take over.

Jade reached up and wiped the tears off Evie's face, still holding to her sister's hand.

There was quiet in the parking lot for a while, everyone listening as Evie breathed a little easier. Jade looked over at her friends and saw that Cat was clinging to Andre's hand, looking as worried as Jade had ever seen her. Tori stood with her feet a bit apart, and Jade had the feeling that Tori's eyes had never left Evie's face during the spell.

Beck took a few steps towards Jade and put his arm around her. For a moment they stood as one unit, Beck connected to Jade connected to Evie, as Annie and Kent packed up the medical supplies and zipped up bags, waiting for the next crisis.

At last, Mulciber broke the silence, and when he spoke, it was as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. "Are we ready to begin the walk to Hogsmeade?"

"We are," Annie said after a quick glance at Evie, who nodded and gave a small smile.

"Then let us begin," Mulciber said. Whipping his robes about him, he turned on his heel and led them away from the parking lot.

It was a quick walk down a twisted, paved path and it led them ever closer to the peaked roofs of Hogsmeade. There were no other workers around, and truly nothing remarkable about the areas they walked through, save for the signs pointing off to other destinations.

Finally Mulciber stopped at another, smaller gate. He punched in a code and, when asked, gave the password ("rum punch"). When the gate swung open, a gray-haired woman with apple cheeks was standing before them, wearing Hufflepuff robes. "Welcome!" she exclaimed.

"This is my associate, Sylvia Wagstaff," Mulciber said. "Sylvia, these are our guests for the day."

"So very pleased to meet you," Sylvia said, still beaming, coming forward to shake Evie's hand. "Many welcomes to our little piece of magical paradise."

"This is where I must leave you," Mulciber said to the group. "But it will be my pleasure to escort you back to your hotel after your day is finished. Have a truly magical experience."

Annie and Kent thanked him, and Mulciber bent down to give Evie a hug. She brought her arms up and squeezed him tightly. "Thank you," she breathed.

"Believe me, young lady, it was my pleasure," said Mulciber, and then he turned and disappeared back through the smaller gate.

"Right this way," Sylvia said, and led them up a small rise.

At that point the entire theme park was suddenly below them.

"Welcome," Sylvia said, and she needed to say nothing else for a while.

Transfixed, Jade stared down at the magic before her. At the far end of the park was Hogwarts, rising all points and spires towards the sky. The castle was connected to the rest of the village by a cobblestoned road. Nestled down in a handful of land was the little village of Hogsmeade. The Hogwarts express train was steaming and puffing into the morning air. Robed and hatted workers were moving about quickly, sweeping cobblestones, pushing wagons, and carrying piles of robes between buildings.

Annie reached into her fanny pack for her camera and took a few pictures.

"What do you think, Jadey?" Evie asked. "Magical enough for you?"

"It's… it's… it's just like I dreamed," Jade said, feeling as though she'd been sucked out of her ordinary life and deposited into a book.

Evie readjusted herself in her chair, her smile becoming broader. Jade's reaction was everything she had wanted out of the trip. It made all the suffering, all the travel, all of it, _all of it_, worth it. And she'd go to the ends of the earth – or the magical world – to see it.

"Let's go," she said, slipping her hand into Jade's.

"Yeah?" Kent asked, leaning over Evie's chair to make sure he'd heard his daughter correctly.

"Yeah," Evie said, and with that, they headed towards the magic's center.

* * *

"Our first errand will be to get you out of those Muggle clothes!" Sylvia exclaimed as they walked along the cobblestoned path in Hogsmeade. "For that we'll need to head to Dervish and Banges. Right this way, right this way!"

"It looks so real," Cat said as they followed Sylvia into a high-ceilinged shop crowded with merchandise.

"That's 'cause it _is_ real, Cat," Tori said.

Cat looked a little confused at this.

"Just for today, it's _all_ real," Tori went on, a smile spreading across her face.

Jade turned and gave Tori a real, true smile.

"Look at all this stuff," Kent said, shifting his backpack to his other shoulder. "Hats, scarves, robes…"

"Let's see, let's see," Sylvia clucked as she rummaged through a cabinet. "Ah, yes, here it is!"

She pulled out a strange-looking, extremely battered hat from the cabinet.

"The Sorting Hat!" Jade breathed excitedly.

"Yes, yes, of course!" Sylvia said. "Wouldn't be a fair start if you weren't sorted properly! Now, who's first?"

"Evie," the group said as one, and Sylvia leaned forward to place the hat on Evie's head.

"What's it saying?" Cat asked.

"It thinks I'm very good-looking," Evie rasped as she shifted in her chair, adjusting her ventilator attachment. "And…"

She was interrupted as the hat's mouth opened and declared: "Gryffindor!"

"Ah, a very auspicious house," Sylvia said, nodding. "Yes, yes, we'll have some robes for you."

Out of nowhere a shop attendant appeared, a bespectacled boy in his twenties, and he started pulling robes from the rack behind Sylvia. "A size small should do," he murmured as Sylvia gently removed the hat from Evie's head.

"Who's next?" the apple-cheeked witch asked.

"You go, Mom," Jade said to Annie.

"Oh, I think I'm far too old to be going back to school," Annie said. "I know everything I want to know."

"Oh, come on, honey," Kent said, giving Annie a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, come on, Mrs. West," Beck agreed.

Annie blushed, and then, looking at Evie, she said, "Oh, all right," and allowed Sylvia to place the hat on her head.

After a moment the hat declared: "Hufflepuff!" and the shop attendant scurried off into the racks.

The hat made its rounds and the group was quickly divided into houses. Cat and Robbie joined Annie in Hufflepuff robes; Beck, Tori, Kent, and Andre were in Gryffindor with Evie; Jade was Sorted into Ravenclaw; and, in a surprising move, Rex was placed in Slytherin.

"Is anybody surprised?" Andre asked the group at large, gesturing to the puppet. Robbie was trying to get Rex's robes straight.

"Puppet's an evil dude," Beck agreed.

"It's not evil," Rex protested from beneath his puppet-sized wizard's hat. "It's… cunning. Shifty. Awesome."

"Such wonderful robes!" Sylvia chirped. "Now, I think you're all still missing something."

"Wands!" Evie breathed to Jade.

"Let us step through to Owl Post and back out into the street," Sylvia suggested.

Within a few moments they were out on the cobblestoned street, standing before the Ollivander's shop.

"Ollivander's has been in business for quite a few years," Sylvia said, "as you already seem to have noticed, from your shirts. It is our pleasure today to be able to give you each your own wands."

She carefully opened the door to Ollivander's, and waved the group in ahead of her.

The inside of the shop was dusky and dusty; the morning sunlight coming in through the windows pierced dust motes and spun them in the air. For a moment the group stood in silence, and then from seemingly out of nowhere, a dark-haired girl with big eyes appeared from behind what had appeared to be a pile of boxes. "Hello, hello, welcome to Ollivander's," she said, her voice husky and mysterious. "I am pleased to see you all today."

She hurried out from behind the piles of wand boxes. "Let us begin with some introductions. I am Clare, and I believe you all to be the travelers from the far land of California. Is that correct?"

The group nodded.

"And you must be Evie," Clare said, coming forward to shake Evie's hand. "It is an honor to meet you."

Evie shook the girl's hand, and Clare nodded slowly. "I sense strength," the wand shop assistant said, "and hope. Hmm, let's see… unicorn tail hair, perhaps."

With a surprising speed she leapt away from Evie and began rummaging in the wand boxes, coming out with a single box. She ripped off the cover and held it out to Evie.

Evie looked at the wand, and then up at her parents.

"It's all right, honey," Kent said. "Today you can use your powers for good."

The group chuckled, and Evie's face relaxed. She picked up the wand.

"Let's see, let's see," Clare encouraged.

Evie raised the wand and gave it a little flick.

Nothing happened.

Evie looked back at Clare.

"No, no, not the right one, obviously." Clare snatched the wand away from Evie and darted into another pile of boxes. "Hmm, rowan, perhaps, something a little lighter…"

She disappeared completely for a few seconds, and came back with another box. "Try this one."

Evie picked up this wand and gave it a bit of a wave.

Still nothing.

"All right, all right, I've got the one," Clare said, whisking the second wand away from Evie and heading up a ladder to more wand boxes. "Rowan, with phoenix feather at the core… and… hmmm…"

She reached for a box, leaning nearly all the way off the ladder, and the group below gasped collectively. But Clare soon had the box in hand and was scrambling down the ladder towards Evie. "Rowan and phoenix feather, my dear," she said, pulling the lid off the box.

Evie raised this wand. It felt warm in her hand, like maybe it had a heartbeat. As her fingers closed around it and she raised it, a jolt of something tingled its way up her arm, and there was a bright series of sparks from the end of the wand. Purple and blue and green lights flared out into the store.

Evie gasped.

"Ah, the wand has found its master," Clare said. "I had a feeling this would be the one. Phoenixes, my dear, are very secretive creatures, but they always raise themselves from the ashes of suffering. They're reborn in a burst of fire. I feel this wand will serve you well."

Her eyes were kind as she looked over at Jade. "And you must be next," she said. "Let's see… I think something in ebony would do…"

She disappeared back into the piles of boxes.

"Something in black, for Jade?" Rex cracked. "Why, what an idea."

"Shut it, puppet," Jade growled, but without her usual menace.

"Ah!" Clare said, reappearing with a wand box. "Ebony, with dragon heartstring at the core."

She held out the wand to Jade.

Jade picked it up and waved it a little. Nothing.

"Hmm, something else," Clare said, removing the wand from Jade's hand and diving back into her boxes. "Ebony, though, perhaps with… ah, yes!"

She reappeared with a slim box in her hand. "Ebony, with a braid of silver at its core. Very light."

Jade took the proffered wand and waved it. A bright silver light flashed out of the end, bouncing all around the Ollivander's building.

"Ooh," Evie breathed, clutching her own wand close.

Jade smiled, still holding the wand. As Clare disappeared back into the stacks, claiming she had _just_ the wand for Beck, Jade realized the arc her wand's path had taken left the wand's tip, its bright flaring lights, pointing directly at Evie's chest.

It had been a snap reaction, something definitely unplanned, but a frisson of magic seemed to peel itself up from the wooden floorboards and ring its way through Jade's feet. She knew it was all illusions, some excellently-done stage craft that Sikowitz and his fellow teachers at Hollywood Arts could have taught any day of the week, but it _felt_ real.

And wasn't that what mattered?


	39. Chapter 38

**A/N:** Again, a chapter that's not as long as I wanted it to be, but I'm running low on energy and short on time lately. I love my job, so I'm happy about that, but I feel like I'm not giving you guys the best part of my writing. But anyway, here's a chapter for you - some fun fuzzy stuff. Thanks for being such great readers and reviewers! Enjoy!

* * *

When they had finished in the wand shop, Sylvia showed them to a small sitting room off the main street of Hogsmeade where they could store extra supplies, or just go to rest throughout the day. It was a bright, open room with funny-looking furniture and whimsical furnishings.

Immediately Annie took charge. "Plug in the nebulizer, Kent, we'll give her a treatment now."

"_Now?"_ Evie asked, looking disappointed.

"Better do it now than later, when you're exhausted and it won't do you any good," Annie said tartly.

Jade looked over at her mother as her father swept by them, unloading the portable nebulizer from his backpack. She was tempted to say something to Annie, something along the lines of "buzz off," but she was still a little jolted from seeing Evie's coughing fit in the parking lot.

Pouting, Evie got out of her wheelchair and flopped down on one of the over-stuffed, hump-backed couches. When Kent handed her the nebulizer attachment that fitted over her trach, she took it without complaining, leaned back on the couch, and closed her eyes.

Cat flitted over to the attached bathroom, flicked on the light, and squealed with excitement. "The soap's all these funny shapes!" she exclaimed. "Stars and moons and… I'm not sure _what_ that is."

A hand appeared from inside the bathroom, holding a bright red soap.

"I think that's a wizard's hat," Tori said helpfully.

"Ooh! I'm gonna wash my hands with it right now!" There was a pause. "Is it okay to wash my hands with it even if I didn't go to the bathroom?"

The rest of the group laughed.

"It should be all right," Sylvia said kindly. "And here in Hogsmeade, we call it a _loo_."

"I'm gonna wash my hands with it right now!" Cat repeated, still excitedly. "In the _loo_!"

She let out another squeal, which was followed by the energetic running of water in the sink.

"I'm going down to the front room," Sylvia said to Annie. "When you're ready to resume our tour, please just pick up the phone there."

With that, the dark-robed witch swept out of the room.

Tori sat down on one of the over-stuffed armchairs. Jade took up a position on the couch next to Evie. Annie hovered in the corner, looking at the nebulizer as though it required eye contact to work. The boys and Rex found seats around a small dining table, and Kent remained at the window, looking out at Hogsmeade's main road.

For ten minutes or so, the group spoke in quiet voices. Evie relaxed under the puffing steam of her nebulizer. Jade gave her wand another few flicks, trying to see if the "magic" that had captivated her in the wand shop would reoccur. But there was nothing. It had been, obviously, just a trick – some flash powder, perhaps, or one of those tiny, tiny explosive capsules.

It wasn't disappointing, just expected, but Jade had come into the magical day hoping for a little more.

"Cat, what are you _doing_ in there?" Tori asked after fifteen minutes had gone by with no reduction in the sound of running water from the bathroom.

"Washing my hands!" Cat chirped.

"For fifteen minutes?"

"I love this soap!" Cat replied, which wasn't really an answer.

Jade rearranged her robes around her legs and went into the bathroom.

Cat stood before the big sink basin with the hot water still running, eagerly lathering her hands with the red soap, which Jade was sure had once been shaped like something but which was now looking like a smooshed strawberry in the redhead's hands. "Hi, Jade!" Cat said.

"Cat, it's soap. You're supposed to wash with it, not destroy it."

"Oh," Cat said, and her face fell.

Instantly Jade felt bad. "But, um, it certainly smells nice."

"Like cherries!" Cat agreed, smiling again.

"Okay, I'm ready," Evie said from the main room. "Let's go, okay?"

Jade went back into the room to find her sister shoving herself upright, yanking off her nebulizer mask.

"Honestly, Evie, you'd think…" Annie started.

"Mom," Jade said.

That was all it took. Immediately Annie went quiet, and set about turning off the nebulizer and winding up the tubing.

Evie, to her credit, put her ventilator back on and adjusted the oxygen tubing before seating herself in the wheelchair. "Lead on," she said.

"Pick up the phone and tell Sylvia we're ready," Annie said as she unplugged the nebulizer.

Jade rolled Evie over to the phone and waited while her sister picked up the receiver.

"Cat!" Robbie called into the bathroom.

"What?"

"We're getting ready to go."

"Okay! I'm almost ready!"

"Girl is nuts," Rex said. His wizard's hat fell down a little over his eyes, and Robbie pushed it up gently.

The water was turned off and Cat reappeared, her hands nearly the color of her hair. "Let's go!" she said cheerfully.

"Mom, is there any lotion in your bags?" Jade asked.

"Yeah, sweetie, why?" Annie asked, still bent over the nebulizer.

"'Cause Cat's gonna need some later, that's why."

Evie hung up the phone, and two minutes later, Sylvia reappeared in the doorway, smiling. "Ready to go, I hear," she said.

"We sure are," Evie said.

"You just let me know if you need a break," Sylvia said, leading them down the short hallway that led back to Hogsmeade's main street.

Their first stop was Honeydukes, the candy shop. The shop was small, with little aisles, and every shelf was filled.

"Wow," Evie said as Jade rolled her over the threshold. "This place looks real."

"Of course it's real," Jade said, trying not to steer Evie's wheelchair into a shelving unit.

"Everyone, please pick out something," Sylvia encouraged the group. "My associate Bernard Pilliwickle will be glad to assist you in finding that special confectionary."

A short young man appeared from behind the counter. "We're running a special on the Chocolate Frogs this week in honor of Dumbledore's birthday," he said. "Two for the price of one. And you'll notice that we've introduced the new edition Dumbledore trading card."

"It's Dumbledore's birthday?" Cat asked, looking super-excited. "I love birthdays!"

"Everyone loves birthdays," Robbie told her flatly.

"My uncle Rocko doesn't," Cat said, busy looking at the display of Chocolate Frogs. "He says that every year he gets a year older is a year he's closer to playing in the Senior Poker Tour."

"What's so bad about that?" Andre asked.

"They have separate divisions for women," Cat said, still blithely looking at the Frogs.

It was a response that meant nothing to anyone, including Bernard Pilliwickle. "Um, anyway, you'll also notice that there are two new flavors of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans this month. Peanut butter, and bread-and-butter pickle."

"Mmm," Kent said to Annie. "Isn't that your favorite flavor, dear?"

For a while they roamed the shop. The boys were obviously pleased with the variety of "trick" candies, including Fizzing Whizzbees and exploding toffees. Jade was excited about the movie-and-book-accurate candies, like the Chocolate Frogs that Bernard Pilliwickle had pointed out, and the Acid Pops and Cauldron Cakes.

Evie sat near the door with Jade's pile of Chocolate Frogs in her lap, watching her family. As her mother pointed out the Sugar Quills to her father, Jade found a display of Liquorice Wands. It was perfect, Evie thought as she considered the sweets and _her_ sweets.

Then Evie grinned, and whipped her wand out from the little hidden pocket in the sleeve of her robe, nearly taking off her ventilator in the process, pointing it at Jade. "_Accio _some Drooble's Best Blowing Gum!" she said, loudly so that Jade could hear her.

And she had to laugh when Jade jumped, turned, and then showered her with a handful of bubble gum.

"Guess the magic really works, huh?" Evie said mischievously.

"For you it does," Jade said, and Beck came up behind her and kissed her.

"And for you too," Evie said, smiling at her sister's happiness. "Now, stop trying to swallow each other and give me some of that gum."


	40. Chapter 39

**A/N:** This is a chapter I wrote LAST weekend, and intended to publish then. Unfortunately for all of you, this website went down unexpectedly as I attempted to post this chapter. Having no more time to spend trying to convince the website to upload my chapter, I went "home" disappointed. I _then_ intended to publish this chapter during one of my breaks, but as it turned out, the week was exceptionally full and my breaks were spent doing boring but totally necessary things like laundry, flushing feed bags/feeding tube extensions, changing sheets, and the most important of all - _sleeping._ And here it is Saturday again, after this long, _long_ week, and I still have this unpublished chapter.

So I'm not going to be too hard on myself. Here's a new chapter for everyone. I hope you enjoy it. Some time this week, or possibly next weekend, I'll post another new chapter. At the moment I've got way too much going on to *promise* a chapter this week, so I just won't.

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers - you make my day. Every single time you review or favorite my story, it means so very much to me.

And, finally, if anyone is interested in sending me "real" mail at my 24/6-on call job that I adore, I would love to hear from you. I love getting mail, and I always write back!

Enjoy!

* * *

They had lunch in their robes, sitting inside the Three Broomsticks pub. Lunch was an unexpectedly Muggle meal of pizza and Cherry Coke. Evie flushed when she saw the food. "My favorite meal!" she said.

"We aim to please," Sylvia said crisply.

"Wow. Thank you," Evie said.

"Save room for strawberry-peanut butter ice cream," Sylvia said. "I'll leave you to your lunch. Signal the barman if you need anything."

Robes flapping, she hurried out of the dining room.

"Okay, okay," Annie said when the group was settled, "I think it's time we do something different."

"We don't have to say grace, do we?" Jade asked.

"Not unless the Spirit's suddenly moved you," Kent replied. "We're not that kind of family."

"I thought it was a strange place to get religion," Evie said, reaching for her glass of Cherry Coke.

"Not grace," Annie said. "I thought since we're here, celebrating Evie, we should go around the table and say something we love about Evie, or something we appreciate about her."

"_Mom_," Evie said, looking embarrassed.

"Sweetie, let us do this for you," Annie said. "_I'm_ going to do it even if anyone else isn't."

Evie flushed and reached up to adjust her ventilator adjustment.

"I think it's a good idea," Beck spoke up.

"See?" Annie said.

"Of course we'll do it," Cat said.

"I think it's sweet," Tori said.

Annie beamed. "Oh, good! Who wants to start?"

"I'll go first," Kent said. He shifted in his chair and raised his glass of Cherry Coke. "Evie – when you were born, you were the scrawniest, ugliest baby I'd ever seen."

"_Kent_," Annie said.

"What?"

"Something you _love_ about Evie."

"I'm getting there," Kent said mildly.

"It's okay, Daddy," Evie said.

"And Mom, it's true," Jade added.

Kent grinned. "But within a few hours, I knew you were ours. You wailed at the top of your lungs and you wouldn't stop until we turned on some music. Good and loud, if I remember correctly.

"And when we found out you were sick… your mother and I were heartbroken. But we turned to each other and we swore then and there that we would never treat you differently, that would we would spare no effort or expense in making sure you had as normal a life as possible. When you showed a talent for art, we sent you to Hollywood Arts. We made sure that no matter what happened with your health, you were given the chance to be somebody else than just 'the sick kid.' You were always, _always_ Evie to us."

He cleared his throat, looking a bit choked up. "And now when I look at how far you've come from that screaming, ugly baby… I can't believe it. What I love about you, Evie, is that you take everything ugly in your life and turn it into something good, something positive. You struggle but you never let that struggle consume you – it's never who you are, it's just what you do. Your identity as a person outside of CF is the thing I cherish most about you. And the fact that it's what others love about you is just icing on that proverbial cake."

He raised his glass a bit higher. "Here's to you, Evie – even in this place, surrounded by the glitz and shine of magic, you still shine so very, very bright."

There was scattered applause, and everyone took a sip from their glasses.

"I'll go next," Beck said, and he pushed back his chair and stood up.

"When I started dating Jade," he began, "I knew she had a sister. A younger sister, some scrawny little kid who happened to be super-good at art. And I knew Jade was utterly devoted to this sister, which I thought was different. Most teenage siblings, when they're so close in age, hate each other or compete with each other.

"But then I met Evie. I think the first time I met her, she was sitting on the couch, watching some trashy show on MTV, wearing that big Vest thing she has. And she was laughing at something Carson Daly was saying… wow, I'm really dating myself here… and to her, the whole scene was normal. Nothing about that scene was normal to me – that tiny girl shaking and giggling – but at the West house, that's just a Friday afternoon.

"And the more I got to know Jade, the more I got to know Evie. And the more I could look beyond all that medical stuff. 'Cause while it was important to Evie's life, it wasn't her _life_. So thank you, Evie, for teaching me that life is big and so worth living in a big way. Or, to say it differently, Go big or go home." He raised his glass. "Thanks for bringing us to some place where we're _definitely_ going big."

More clapping, more toasting.

Tori went next, speaking simply. "Evie, ever since I've met you, your whole life has been one big art piece. What I adore about you is that every part of your life is art. Thanks for letting me be part of that art."

Cat stood up, looking excited. "Evie – I love your haircut and your cool wheelchair and how your bedroom's bigger than Jade's by three feet, six inches and how you have me over every New Year's Eve so we can eat Jell-O and how you know all the words to Singin' in the Rain and how you taught me how to roller-skate and how you didn't tell anyone when we drove my grandpa's golf cart through that fence and…"

She broke off and took a deep breath. "You're a good friend to me, Evie, and that's what I love about you."

She hurriedly took her seat, brushing her hair out of her face as she sat.

"I _knew_ you guys did something to that fence," Jade said.

Evie grinned, the cheese from her piece of pizza drooping in strings down to her chin.

"And if you'll recall, your grandpa blamed _me_, Cat," Jade said.

"He forgot about it," Cat said.

"Yeah, 'cause he got _Alzheimer's_."

"'Scuse us, we're next," Rex said.

"Yeah," Robbie said.

"Evie, you're one cool chick," Rex said.

"Thanks for always helping me out with my math homework," Robbie said.

"Yeah, you're smarter than that kid he _used_ to copy off of," Rex said.

"I never copied off Amy Chan!" Robbie protested.

"Yeah, 'cause she caught you and turned you in to Ms. Prentiss," Rex countered.

"You're welcome, Robbie," Evie said. "I'm always glad to share my love of algebra with others."

More toasting, more clapping. Cat reached for another piece of pizza.

"Evie, you're such a cool girl," Andre said. "What I love about you is that everyone loves you so totally – and you're still so humble."

Evie laughed. "Sometimes it goes to my head," she admitted.

Annie looked at Jade. Jade nodded to her mother. "You go."

"All right," Annie said, and looked over at her daughters fondly. "Evie, the list of things I love about you would take me an hour or more to even get properly started. Your smile, for instance – how you always look like you're smiling, even when you're sleeping or when you've got a tube in your mouth or a mask over your face. Or how you smell good all the time, even after doing some sort of nasty, smelly treatment or hacking up gobs of mucus the size of my fist. Or how smart you are… and how you never use those smarts to make anyone feel lesser than you.

"But mostly I'm proud of all the things you've accomplished… and I'm proud when I think of all the things you obviously have left to accomplish. I love standing back and letting you explore. You've taken us so many places… Hogwarts being one of many… and I can't wait to see where we go next."

Annie wiped her mouth and looked over at Jade, smiling.

Jade raised her eyebrows and picked up her glass. "As much as this feels like a eulogy to me…"

"_Jade_," Annie hissed.

"Well, it does, Mom," Jade said. "That doesn't mean I'm not happy to participate. I'm just being honest."

She gave Evie a grin. "Evie, there are lots of things that really suck about being your sister."

"_Jade_," Annie repeated.

"Oh, Mom, she means well," Evie said. "Honestly, she'll get around to the good part sooner or later."

"As I was _going_ to say – there are also a lot of things that make it worth it. You know all my secrets, Evie, whether I want you to or not. You always figure out how to make me appreciate everything I've got. You make me embarrassed to complain. You take me places I've never been, places I thought I didn't want to go, and yet every time you show me it's always worth it."

Jade cleared her throat – hell if she was going to _cry_ in the Three Broomsticks – and went on: "You are the sweetest, kindest, most honest, smartest, funniest, _strongest_ person I know, and all of the shitty things you go through make me wish I could be smarter, funnier, and stronger, just to keep up with you. Thanks for bringing us here… thanks for bringing us all together."

She raised her glass. "Here's to whatever comes. I know it's going to be amazing, Evie… 'cause how could it not be?"


	41. Chapter 40

**A/N:** So, first of all - thanks for being so patient with me! I adore my job but I don't adore what it does to my free time. However, I love these kids so much that I figure the time away from my writing is well worth it and well repaid to me in other ways. To everyone who's reviewed and supported me, I really appreciate it!

I've had more than a few folks ask me how I know so much about CF and other medical stuff. To start off with, I have two friends - one living with CF, one who has passed away. I also work with kids with all sorts of disabilities, so the medical stuff comes along with the territory. If you have more specific questions, I have no problem answering them. :)

I _love_ this chapter. Is that okay for an author to say? Well, I _love_ this chapter.

And I hope you love it too. Reviews are like candy and your support is even better.

Enjoy!

* * *

**ETA:** Thank you to all my reviewers who reminded me that Luna is from Ravenclaw, not Hufflepuff! I admit that I wrote this chapter at about 10 pm on Saturday after I had not slept very well Friday night and I had worked a very, very full week (on-call 24/6). So it was _definitely_ my mistake - thank you all for catching it! I love Luna, but when I'm all gooey with no-sleep sometimes the facts escape me! A cookie to all you eagle-eyed reviewers!

* * *

After lunch the group split into pairs and threesomes to take in more of the sights. Sylvia took Kent and Annie to see… _something_ – "A surprise," she said. "We'll meet back here at three o'clock." Robbie and Rex and Cat got in line to ride the Hippogriff's Flight. Andre and Tori, after debating furiously for a few minutes, decided that they would take on the dragon rollercoaster – "We'll each ride one side first," Tori said, "and then switch and go again."

Jade asked Evie to go with her and Beck up to the ride at the Hogwarts castle. "It'll be fun," Jade said. "I hear Dumbledore makes an appearance."

"Of course I'll go," Evie said.

"Are you sure, Jadey?" Annie asked as Sylvia was trying to drag her out of the pub. "You don't have to, sweetheart, we'll…"

"Mom, just go with Sylvia," Jade said, fairly sure she knew what the "surprise" was. "I think Evie can survive a few hours with me and Beck."

"I know CPR," Beck added, drawing himself up to his full height.

"_Do_ you, sweetheart?" Annie asked, a surprised smile lighting up her face. "That's so good. I keep telling Kent that more young people should learn CPR, because…"

"Come on, dear," Kent said, and put his arm around Annie, leading her away from the kids. "We'll be back later."

"Oh, okay, we'll…" Annie's voice trailed off as Sylvia and Kent gently steered her down the path.

Beck took charge of Evie's wheelchair and Jade hefted the backpack of supplies she'd taken from Annie. No one spoke as they headed up the cobblestone way to the points of Hogwarts rising tall in the distance. The only sounds were their feet on the stone way and the ventilator breathing for Evie.

At last Evie said, "Wait."

Beck slowed the wheelchair and Jade turned to her sister. "What is it?"

"Just wait," Evie repeated, pointing. "Look up there."

Obediently Beck and Jade turned their gazes in the direction Evie indicated. "What?" Jade asked.

"I just want to remember this moment exactly the way it is," Evie said, keeping her eyes on Hogwarts. "Just in case this is it… just in case all of this magic dissolves when we get back to LA. Can we just do that for a minute?"

And for a few minutes they stood there, looking up at the castle before them, keeping their eyes on what mattered, on the so-called fictional castle that stood on a hill in Florida, having jumped from the pages of a book about wizards and witches, friendship and magic, good and evil, and the power of love over all, to something tangible and magical and completely _real_, right there in front of them.

A shiver went down Jade's spine as she thought about it. It was just too unreal.

"Evie," she breathed after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

Evie smiled. "I'd say 'you're welcome,' but it seems a little… _little_."

She shifted in her wheelchair seat and brought her wand out of her robe pockets. "_Accio_ Hogwarts!" she said, and with that, they were on the move again.

* * *

There were a few people in line as Jade, Beck, and Evie joined the queue for the Hogwarts ride. Most looked over to see the fully-costumed trio and smiled. A few looked for a little longer, taking in the skinny girl propped up in the wheelchair with all of her medical equipment attached. But no one said anything, and the magical atmosphere held.

Beck pushed Evie's chair through all of the various turnstiles, each one taking them closer to the actual Hogwarts castle. The final outdoor lead-in took them past a variety of potted plants hanging from overhead trellises, with vines twirling everywhere. At the door leading into the castle, Jade shivered a little.

The attendant at the door gave her a big smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts," he said, and with that, they were inside.

It was dark inside the castle, but it was a reverent sort of darkness, the kind Jade associated with large libraries and theatrical performances.

"It's like velvet," Evie whispered, obviously struck by the same sort of reverence, and silently Jade agreed.

They rounded a corner and then Dumbledore rose up before them. "Welcome, dear friends," he said. "It is such a pleasure to have you with us today."

"It's nice to meet you," Evie said, looking up at the elderly wizard.

And though Jade knew it was part of the ride, part of the attraction, it didn't surprise her in the least when the silver-haired wizard smiled benevolently and nodded his head, as though he was reacting to what Evie had said.

"Wow," Jade heard someone behind them say. "It's so… _real_."

"Do you think they _pay_ those kids?" someone else asked.

"I mean, they'd have to… they look like they stepped out of the movie."

Beck leaned in towards Jade and whispered, "Do you think they paid those people behind us to say that?"

"What? Why?"

"Because I've sat through all these movies with you, and I've never seen _anyone_ who resembles Evie," he replied.

Jade looked over at her sister, still having a silent eye-conversation with Dumbledore, and said, "It doesn't have anything to do with Evie."

"Oh, no?"

"No. It's just more proof this place really is magical."

Finally, after filtering through more turnstiles, the three arrived at the head of the line for the ride. One of the attendants spotted the Grant a Dream badge on Evie's robes, and called out, "Slow 'er down for a transfer on bench three!"

Another worker at the control panel nodded and flipped a switch. Immediately, the "benches" awaiting riders slowed to a near-halt. The first attendant hurried over to them. "Welcome. We're so glad you're here," he said. "How can I assist you?"

"Give me a second," Evie said. "Jade, suction, please."

Jade handed her sister the suction catheter and they all waited while Evie took off her ventilator attachment and suctioned out the trach. When she was done with the catheter, she handed it back to Jade, who tucked it away in the bag on top of the compressor. Evie switched off the alarms on the ventilator and then shut it off. Jade, seeing where her sister was going, grabbed the speaking valve out of the backpack and opened the case for Evie. Evie popped the valve onto her trach and smiled up at the attendant. "Okay, now I'm ready," she said.

"Where are we leaving the chair?" Beck wanted to know.

"Right over there," the attendant said.

Beck steered the chair carefully to the spot indicated and locked the brakes. Evie took off her seat belt, untangled herself from the ventilator tubing, and hesitantly stood up. Jade dumped the backpack near the chair and went around the front of the chair to help Evie up, grabbing her sister's elbows. "Easy does it," Jade murmured as Evie's knees nearly buckled.

"I've got it," Evie grumbled, and leaned forward onto Jade's arms.

Step by step the sisters walked over to the ride's seats, Jade leading Evie carefully. When they'd reached the seats the attendant indicated, Jade backed Evie into her seat and pushed gently on her sister's arms. Evie got the idea and sat, her robes fluttering around her. Beck hurried over to sit on Evie's far side, and Jade, having gotten Evie into her seat, took up a position on the near side.

"What do we do if you have to suction?" Jade asked quietly.

Evie grinned. "Hope like hell the ride is good," she said.

"Evie, I'm serious."

"So am I," Evie said good-naturedly. "Life for me is just a breath-holding contest. Unless this ride is like _an hour_, I'm pretty sure we'll make it back here in time."

The attendant was eying them. "All set?" he asked.

"We sure are," Evie said with a grin. "Bring it on."

The attendant waved to his counterpart at the control panel, and with that, the "bench" hurtled into motion.

It was a spectacular ride – of that Jade was certain. The riders were participating in a sort of "open house" at Hogwarts, in which Muggles and other outsiders were privileged to be visiting the legendary school to see its many special features. In this portion of the ride, they were using some flying "benches" to get a taste of what it might be like to play Quidditch. With Harry and his friends they were taking a flying tour.

But of course, it being Hogwarts, there were always hiccups. Dragons, spiders, the Forbidden Forest, even Dementors – it was definitely a wild ride. Up, down, up/down, sideways… the "bench" was a fantastic rollercoaster.

Jade was entranced with the flying and the special effects. She heard someone laughing and yelling, and recognized a bit belatedly that Beck was laughing and Evie was yelling, but in such a way that Jade knew she was grinning too. And split seconds after realizing _that_, she realized that if Evie was yelling, there was no way her trach was clogged.

A bit starry-eyed and wild-haired, the group made it back to the loading station. The attendant was there, grinning broadly. "Would you like to go again?" he asked.

"Oh, my, could we?" Jade wanted to know.

"Of course," he said. "You just say the word."

"Evie?"

"It's cool with me."

"Beck?"

"Sure thing."

And with another wave of the attendant's hand, they were off again, hurtling into darkness.

When the ride ended for the second time, Jade waved off the attendant and asked him to stop the ride. Though she knew Beck would go on the ride as many times as she would, Jade could hear little rasps every time Evie took a breath. It was time for her sister to get back on the ventilator… and besides, it was almost three o'clock, time to meet back up with Sylvia for the "surprise."

The ride slowed and then stopped, and once Beck was freed from his seat, he leaned down to pick up Evie. Jade grabbed Evie's wheelchair and met them halfway. Evie shifted herself back into position while Jade turned on the ventilator and brought the tubing up to her sister.

"Thanks for a great time," Evie said to the attendants as Beck was wheeling her off the ride platform.

"You guys are amazing," Beck agreed.

And Jade just smiled.

* * *

Sylvia was standing outside the Hogsmeade shops, near the entrance to their sitting room, when they returned from the Hogwarts ride. She smiled when she saw them. "Oh, good, you're here," she said. "Come in, please."

"What's going on?" Evie asked, looking up at Jade.

Jade, who had finally remembered what her mother had told her about the "surprise," merely said, "You'll see."

"Secrets don't make good friends," Evie said, pouting a little.

"No one's keeping secrets," Sylvia said tartly, though she smiled at Evie. "If you'll all come in, there's someone here who's very excited to meet you, Evie."

"Is it Sikowitz?" Evie asked as Beck put her chair back in motion.

"Why would it be Sikowitz?" Jade wanted to know as they went down the hallway toward their sitting room. "You already know him."

"Yeah, didn't he come to your family reunion that one year?" Beck said.

"He wasn't invited," Jade replied. "But that really didn't stop him."

"He won the watermelon-seed spitting contest," Evie said.

"And he beat Grandpa at horseshoes," Jade said.

"I just… I think I had a dream last night that Sikowitz was here. But… he was also dating Ms. Santiago, so…" Evie's statement trailed off as Sylvia led them back into the funky little room with the funny-looking furniture. Annie and Kent sat on one of the sofas, and in an armchair next to them, with her ankles crossed, holding a teacup and saucer daintily and wearing Ravenclaw robes, a pair of Spectrespecs, dirigible plum earrings and a butterbeer cork necklace, was Evanna Lynch.

"Holy…" Beck said.

"Wow," Jade said.

Evie's face lit up. "You're… you're _Luna Lovegood!" _she squealed.

Jade had to hand it to the folks at the Grant a Dream Foundation – they had gotten it exactly right. Evie had been an enthusiastic reader of the books and a mostly-interested movie viewer, and throughout both the books and movies her favorite character had always been Luna Lovegood. Luna was eccentric, smart, and witty, all traits that Jade saw in Evie, so it was easy to understand how her sister felt a sort of companionship with the pretty blond character.

Evanna Lynch stood up, putting her teacup, saucer, and Spectrespecs on the table next to the armchair. "Hello," she said in her pleasant British accent. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Evie."

Evie was still grinning, a look of surprised shock still on her face. Jade heard her breathe over the vent excitedly, and then squeak out, "Oh! Um! Hi!"

"Tea?" Sylvia asked in the background.

Jade heard her parents ask for tea, but her focus was still on Evie. Her sister wheeled her chair over to sit next to Evanna, and the two of them immediately began a conversation.

"Here, sit down," Beck said to Jade. "You look like you might faint."

In truth, Jade was closer to crying than to fainting. "They… they knew her favorite character, Beck. And they got her here… do you know how much that must have…?"

Beck guided her to a seat on another overstuffed couch, and put his arm around her. "You knew this place was magical," he reminded her softly, smiling.

"Yeah, but now it's…" Jade hunted for the right word to describe the scene before her eyes. "But now it's… it's like they love Evie just as much as we do."


	42. Chapter 41

**A/N:** I in no way own or represent Evanna Lynch, although I think she's a fabulous actress. This is just what I would like to imagine could happen.

Thank you to all my awesome readers and reviewers - it's a treat to get emails from this website telling me I have reviews and people adding me to their favorites list! Very humbling! I shall try to do my best.

Writing this chapter was fun for me, and in addition to writing _this_ part of the story, I also had the opportunity to come up with some of the pieces that I believe will show up at the end of the story.

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Evie could scarcely believe it. She was sitting inches away from Evanna Lynch, from _Luna Lovegood_, and the pretty blond actress didn't seem to be afraid of her and all her machinery at all. In fact, she was smiling and chattering away. Everything down to the tiniest detail was amazing – butterbeer cork necklace, dirigible plum earrings, and Evanna wore robes just like Evie and her family.

"Our names are almost the same," Evie said shyly.

Evanna laughed as though she hadn't thought of that. "Then we must be destined to be very good friends," she said.

"Really?" Evie squeaked.

"You are here – tell me, isn't that proof enough that magic is real?" Evanna asked.

"Yeah," Evie breathed. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"I'm sure I don't have to tell _you_ this, but magic gets easier the more you believe in it," Evanna said.

It hadn't occurred to Evie, but as she thought about it, it made sense. "Sometimes, the most magical things to me… are the ones that happen by accident," she offered.

"Exactly," Evanna said, nodding. "And sometimes the craziest ideas… or _people_… turn out to be the sanest."

"Like Luna," Evie said.

"Like Luna," Evanna agreed.

For a moment there was silence, and then Evie said, "I'm so… so honored that you're here. I'm honored to meet you."

"You've got that wrong," Evanna said. "_I_ am the one who is pleased to meet _you_. I just played a loony girl in a movie. It's people like you who do all the difficult things… _those_ are the people I prefer to spend time with."

"That means a lot to me," Evie said, realizing that Evanna was telling the truth.

"I don't know if I could go through half the stuff you go through," Evanna said, her gaze lingering a bit on the tubing protruding from Evie's throat. "It must be very trying at times."

"It's not all fun and games," Evie said, "but a time comes in the middle of all this when you come to some sort of realization that it's just how life is, and if you want to keep going, you have to put up a fight."

"Sometimes I imagine you must feel like giving up."

"Oh, all the time," Evie replied. "But then I look at the faces of my friends and my family, and I remember that it's not just me in this fight. I've got backup, and they're the type who don't back down."

"I should think not," Evanna said, a smile tracing her lips. "I mean, look at them."

Evie did just that, turning her head to take in everyone in the room: her parents, Jade, and Beck, all in their Hogwarts robes as though they were their normal apparel, acting as though their wands, hats, house pins, and scarves made them ordinary instead of extraordinary.

"They're too good to me," Evie said, laughing.

Evanna tilted her head. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I think you're probably good to them, too."

"Yeah," Evie said, her eyes skipping over her parents and over to Jade. "Guess that could be true."

"They were willing to bring you this far," Evanna said.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's fair," Evie said, still focused on Jade. "Sometimes I wonder if it's healthy for my sister… like, wouldn't she rather be doing something else than hanging out with her dying sister?"

"First of all, nobody's dying until they've been given up on, and believe me when I tell you that you are the farthest from being given up on. And second, your sister looks all right to me."

It was true. Jade was laughing about something Beck was saying as the dark-haired boy pointed his wand at a potted plant and pretended to utter a spell.

"They brought you this far, Evie," Evanna said, "and they're going to carry you just a little farther. And someday, maybe… maybe you will carry them."

"Wouldn't that be nice," Evie said, scoffing.

"Hey," Evanna said. "If you learn nothing else on this trip, remember this – sometimes the smallest, craziest, upside-down person redeems the whole group."

She gave Evie a smile. "And now that I'm done lecturing, I have a few things for you."

"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything," Evie said lamely.

"Don't be silly!" Evanna laughed. "What would a trip to Hogwarts be without some magical surprises?"

She reached under her chair and pulled out a large brown paper sack. "First of all, your very own Pygmy Puff."

It was a big pink ball of fluff and Evie laughed as it tickled her face.

"And a subscription to the Quibbler," Evanna went on, putting a magazine in Evie's lap. "Spectrespecs included, of course. They're very useful if you're looking for Nargles."

"There are Nargles _everywhere_ in LA," Evie said.

"Oh, I know," Evanna said, and giggled.

Evie hooked the Spectrespecs over her ears and peered through them. They made the world a little pink and a little spangled. She liked it.

Before Evanna could continue, one of the pumps slung over the back of Evie's wheelchair started beeping. Evie growled under her breath and reached around to figure out which machine it was. Her robe sleeves flapped a bit; she pushed them above her elbows.

"I'll get it, I'll get it," Annie said, hurrying over to the chair. "You just finish your conversation."

Evie gave Evanna a small smile. "Sorry. Just business as usual."

Annie quickly found the problem – a kink in the line running out from the IV pump – and corrected it before restarting the pump, then scurried back to her conversation with Kent and Sylvia.

"Just a few more things," Evanna said, and pulled out a smaller brown paper packet from her bag. She passed it to Evie.

Evie gently undid the piece of Scotch tape holding the envelope closed, and carefully opened the flap. "Ohhh," she breathed. "Oh, _wow_."

Inside the envelope was a butterbeer cork necklace and a pair of dirigible plum earrings identical to the ones Evanna was wearing, and a silver bracelet made with a single slim band suspending a small leaping rabbit.

"Your Patronus," Evie said immediately.

"And maybe yours too," Evanna said. "They tell me you are going to have surgery when you get home."

"Hopefully. At some point," Evie said.

"Then I will send this little friend to be your protector," Evanna said. "There are only two of them in the entire world. Maybe we'll just prove there's still a little magic in the world, yeah?"

She smiled, and pulled up the sleeve of her robe; there, on her wrist, was the twin to Evie's bracelet.

Evie slipped the butterbeer cork necklace over her head, quickly disconnecting her ventilator tubing so the necklace would rest flat against her chest, and then slid the silver bracelet onto her wrist. "Thank you," she said.

"Sometimes it is the smallest things we do for others that have the biggest impact on our lives," Evanna said, sounding more like Luna Lovegood than ever. "And we should never miss an opportunity to find out what those things are."

As Evie thought about this, Evanna straightened up. "And now, I believe, your family members would probably like some pictures of this magical twosome."

"My parents are like paparazzi," Evie said, scooting her wheelchair with her feet.

"Ah, then I should have plenty of practice," Evanna said, and both girls laughed.

And Evie knew it had to be her imagination, but the little silver rabbit seemed warm against the inside of her wrist, as though it truly _was_ a magical connection. She _knew_ it was crazy, but at the same time she loved it.

Some things truly _did_ call for magic.


	43. Chapter 42

**A/N:** To my readers and reviewers - thank you so much for your support! I love getting emails telling me I've got new comments or new subscribers!

Unfortunately this chapter is not as long as I'd like it to be, not nearly long enough to express my gratitude. I had a pretty rough last week and got a bit burned out, so I'm taking it easy this week. I hope to get you a longer chapter soon, but until then, here's a little bit of fluff.

And I'm not being compensated in any way, but don't miss out on the new "Victorious" special episode ("Locked Up") or the "Victorious" soundtrack (coming out on August 2nd). :)

* * *

At the end of the day, the group hiked back up the short hill with Sylvia and Evanna. Evie was asleep in her wheelchair, hooked up to all of her machinery.

"Thank you for such a wonderful day," Annie said quietly to Sylvia.

"It was our pleasure, believe you me," Sylvia replied.

At the top of the hill they met Mulciber Capulet, who had returned with his van to take the group back to the hotel. The sun was going down and it lit Hogwarts with a golden wash.

There was a flurry of hugs and the exchanging of business cards and pieces of paper with email addresses and phone numbers written on them. Evanna stepped up to Annie and gave her a hug, saying, "Evie is a beautiful girl. You've done an amazing job."

"I could say the same to you," Annie said with a smile. "Sometimes I feel like Luna is just another one of my daughters."

"It makes me feel good to hear that," Evanna said, and pressed a piece of paper into Annie's hand. "I gave one of these to Evie, but I want to make sure you have it."

"Thank you."

"Will you… will you call me when she goes in for her surgery?" Evanna asked. "I'd like to… I'd like to talk to her before, maybe come to see her afterwards."

"We'd love to have you," Annie said, and squeezed the blond girl just a bit tighter.

Released from the hug, Evanna went back to Evie's chair and knelt down next to the girl. "Farewell, Evie," she whispered.

Evie shifted in her chair and squeezed Evanna's hand. "You'll stay with me?"

"Until the very end, my friend," Evanna replied.


	44. Chapter 43

**A/N:** Sorry there was so much down-time between chapters. In between my extremely busy job, I managed to end up with strep throat, so I was in the hospital twice in four days. Antibiotics are fixing me up, but because of my ridiculously horrible asthma I'm having more trouble breathing, so I've been spending a lot of time asleep, doing breathing treatments, and watching episodes of "iCarly" and "Victorious," of course. But I hope this chapter makes up for not posting last weekend. (_Nothing_ got done last weekend... no journal posts, no blog checks, no email checks, no Facebook, etc.) So please don't feel neglected - it wasn't just you!

Anyway, enjoy. And thanks to all my readers, reviewers, and followers!

* * *

"I'm gonna walk today," Evie said to Jade as they were in the bathroom the next morning. "All over the Magic Kingdom. And then I'm gonna walk up to Mickey Mouse and hug him."

Jade paused in the middle of brushing her hair. "I think Hogwarts scrambled your brain."

"I feel so happy!" Evie exclaimed, waving her hands around, and despite the presence of multiple pumps (feeding, IV, suction) and the ventilator and all manner of inhalers and pills on the bathroom counter between the sisters, Jade believed her. "And I want to get dressed up like a princess!"

"Ooh, can we _do_ that?" came Cat's voice from the bedroom.

"Why not?" Evie asked.

"Because it's ridiculously expensive," Jade said.

"Ah, but not for us," Evie said, holding up her toothbrush like it was a scepter. "_We_ are the esteemed guests of the Grant a Dream Foundation."

"And I'm sure there's nothing Beck would like to see more than Jade in a princess costume," Tori added from the other room.

"Ohh, Vega, you wouldn't…"

"And Robbie was telling me in math last week how much he's always wanted to be a prince," Cat went on.

"I think he meant he actually wanted to be _royalty_, Cat," Evie pointed out. "Not that he wanted to _dress_ like a prince."

"Oh."

"Robbie royalty," Jade scoffed. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"Oh, no, he's totally convinced he's really a prince or a duke or something," Evie said, spitting into the sink. "It started a couple months ago when his mom yelled at him that he wasn't the son she wanted."

"Which is probably true," Jade said to her hairbrush.

"… and so he decided he's adopted," Evie went on. "And that his real parents were… some sort of royalty."

"The duke and duchess of Wickhamshire, England," Cat said, appearing in the bathroom doorway.

"But he believes that because their duke and duchess went missing in 1995," Evie said. "And they've never been found. And because of _that_, there is no duke and duchess of Wickhamshire. Robbie says it's because they emigrated to the US to deliver him safely to the Shapiros."

"What a load of hogwash," Jade said, putting down her hairbrush.

"It actually makes sense if you look at the vision board he made of it," Cat said.

"The _what?"_

"Don't ask, don't ask," Evie muttered under her breath.

"He's got a board!" Cat said happily. "With pictures and everything. It looks totally believable when you see it that way."

"Our friends are nuts," Jade grumbled, hunting around for her eyeliner.

"I prefer to think that those nuts are our friends," Evie said, and grinned.

* * *

Evie accomplished her goal of walking into the Magic Kingdom, pushing her equipment in the wheelchair before her. With her Grant a Dream pin attached safely to her T-shirt and her pink sunglasses shading her eyes, she looked up happily at the world surrounding her. "I'm so excited," she breathed to Jade.

"We're getting mouse ears," Beck said to Jade.

"Oh, we are _not_."

"If not for us then for Sikowitz," Beck said.

"What?"

"Before we left, he asked me and Andre to get him some mouse ears," Beck said.

"Oh, he did not," Jade said.

"He really did," Beck said. "Right, Andre?"

"Totally," Andre agreed, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. He unfolded it and held it out to Jade, who took it a bit skeptically.

" 'Dearest Andre and Beckett,'" she read, trying with some difficulty to follow the untidy scrawl, " 'it would please me greatly if you could procure for me two pairs of Mickey Mouse ears at the place where the Mouse doth dwell.'"

"Keep going," Beck said.

" 'There is nothing I desire more from your vacation to the Mouse's abode than these two pairs of Mouse ears, for I desire to use them to ask a certain special female someone to accompany me to a presentation of "Alice in Wonderland On Ice." While I believe that my attractive looks and perpetual employment are enough to compel this special certain female to attend such a presentation, I feel that the aforementioned Mouse ears would be the icing on the proverbial cake. Yours truly, Sikowitz.'"

"Who is the special certain female?" Tori asked.

"It's Ms. Santiago," Evie said before Andre or Beck could speak up.

"What?" Jade was feeling like the Magic Kingdom was revolving around her.

"Yeah, Sikowitz has a major crush on Ms. Santiago," Evie said.

"I thought you said that was just a dream," Jade said.

"No, I said the _dream_ was that Mr. Sikowitz and Ms. Santiago showed up at Hogwarts," Evie said. "It was inspired by real events."

Jade performed a face-palm.

"I think it's sweet," Tori said.

"Sikowitz and Santiago," Beck said.

"Like one of Robbie's vaudeville pairs," Andre added.

"Could you imagine if they got married?" Evie asked, a huge smile on her face.

"Yes," Cat replied simply.

"It would be so sweet," Evie went on. "I can see it now – the bride will wear white and the groom will arrive shoeless, two minutes before the ceremony, in a vest he made himself, wearing a set of authentic Ecuadorean castanets."

"Do they _play_ castanets in Ecuador?"

"_So_ not the point." Evie adjusted her sunglasses. "What if Sikowitz asks you guys to be his groomsmen?"

"I'm not going there," Andre said hurriedly.

"Oh, it'd be ridiculous!" Cat said, beaming.

"And of course Santiago would ask us to be her bridesmaids," Evie said.

"Evie, knock it off," Jade said, handing the note back to Andre. "Here, keep that… wouldn't want you to forget what we're really here for."

"Like we could," Andre muttered, stuffing the note back into his pocket.

"Should we get breakfast, kids?" Annie asked, coming up behind the knot of teenagers.

"I love breakfast!" Cat exclaimed.

"Sounds good to me," Jade said.

"And while we eat, we can plan out our day," Kent suggested, grabbing a map from one of the nearby dispensers. "We want to make the most of our day in the park."

Jade rolled her eyes at her father. Evie just grinned.

"And we'll make time for a special surprise later," Kent added.

"I don't know if I can stand any more surprises," Evie said. "Yesterday's was… the biggest one in a while."

"Yeah, pretty much since you thought Mom and Dad were going to get you a trained monkey for Christmas when you were seven," Jade said.

"I thought we agreed never to speak of that," Evie said.

"We did. But some of us aren't as good at keeping secrets."

There was much laughing as the group filed into the Main Street Bakery for pastries, juice, and coffee. Evie pushed her wheelchair over to one of the umbrella-shaded table. "I'll wait for you guys here," she said. "I want some apple juice and one of those raspberry-filled things."

She sat down in her wheelchair, moving the machinery out of the way first. The sunlight caught on the silver Patronus bracelet on her arm and she smiled, remembering yesterday's events. It did really seem like one big dream.

"Hey, lady," came a familiar voice. "Hey, lady, where's your alien?"

Evie looked up to see the kids from the souvenir store in Epcot. This time they were accompanied by a slim redheaded woman. "Hi," she greeted them.

"Brayden, don't stare," the woman said.

"We've met before," Evie hurried to explain.

"Hi," the little girl said, coming up to hug Evie.

"Hello, hello," Evie said, cuddling up to the little girl.

"Reagan…" their mother said, obviously at a loss to explain her kids' attraction to the scrawny girl attached to the machinery.

"Are you having a good time at the parks?" Evie asked.

"Yeah! Yesterday I got to go on Mission Space and I told my dad that it was the best ride I've ever been on, and then today we went on Space Mountain and _that's_ definitely the best ride I've ever been on," the boy, Brayden, said.

"What did you do yesterday?" Evie asked the little girl kindly.

"I met Snow White," she said gravely. "She was very pretty. And very nice."

"I'm so glad," Evie said. "She seems nice."

She looked up at the mother. "Hi. I'm Evie West. I met your children at Epcot."

"Hello," the woman said, still looking a bit awkward with the whole relationship. "I'm Carrie Standish, and this is Brayden and Reagan."

"So where's your alien?" Brayden asked, clearly not one to be deterred from a topic.

"Right here," Evie said, and reached around to the back of her chair, where Steve the alien sat in her backpack.

"Sweet," the boy said earnestly.

"Brayden, why don't you and Reagan sit at that table?" Carrie suggested. "Daddy will be along in a minute and we'll get breakfast."

"Okay," the boy said, and led his sister away from Evie's table.

"May I ask," their mother said as soon as the kids were sitting at the closest table, leaning in close so that Evie could see her slightly embarrassed expression, "what condition you have?"

"Oh, sure," Evie said, grateful that she wasn't about to be reamed out for talking to strangers' children. "I have CF. Cystic fibrosis."

"And you're… how old?"

"Fifteen," Evie said. "I'll be sixteen in April."

The woman nodded solemnly. "Then you're ahead of the curve."

"You mean the majority of kids who get one of those untreatable respiratory infections and conks out before their twelfth birthday? Yeah, I'm ahead of that one."

"That isn't what I meant at all," Carrie said, and she looked even more embarrassed. "I'm a transplant surgeon at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital in in Palo Alto, California. I don't expect you live anywhere near there…"

"We're from LA, actually," Evie said. This conversation was curiouser and curiouser.

"… oh, my goodness," Carrie said. She reached into her purse and pulled out a little leather case, from which she extracted a business card. "Have your folks get in touch with my department. We're handling new CF double-lung transplants in our unit… and we've nearly tripled the five-year survival rate."

She straightened up and looked at Evie. "Somebody loves you an awful lot, kid."

"Well, my parents do, of course," Evie said, a little confused.

"No, I mean _Somebody_," Carrie said, and jerked her thumb towards the sky. "Somebody up there."

"Oh," Evie said.

"Because, seriously, how else could you explain this? Visitors from California, a patient and a doctor, nearly 3000 miles from home, meeting _here?"_

"It _is_ the most magical place on earth," Evie said.

"Well, of course it is," Carrie said, and she smiled at Evie. "I have three kids," she went on. "Brayden and Reagan came with us, but my older daughter is at college, in graduate school, really, in Oregon. She has CF. She's twenty-five, and she had a double-lung transplant ten years ago. She was treated at Lucille Packard, ages before I worked there. So it _can_ be done."

"Of course it can," Evie said.

"Ah, I see," Carrie said.

"What?"

"You're one of those folks who believes in miracles," Carrie said.

"Let's just say I've had some experiences that were distinctly… _magical_," Evie said, and when she laughed she could feel the sunshine on her face, and that moment was inexplicably, totally, completely _right_.


	45. Chapter 44

**A/N:** I am _so_ sorry that I haven't updated sooner. I got a new job and moved all my stuff up to camp, where I'll be living semi-permanently now. It's very exciting but the move was rougher than I expected and it's taken me a little while to settle in. I hope to resume posting more regularly now. Thanks for your patience!

Readers, reviewers, and those who favorite make my day! Enjoy!

* * *

The day at the Magic Kingdom passed quickly, under the bright Florida sun. The group stayed together for some of the most classic rides – Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, It's a Small World, Dumbo, and the slightly newer Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Jade and Beck wanted to take Evie on Space Mountain, but were seriously reconsidering after they spent fifteen minutes listening to Annie regale them with all the potential problems of riding a rollercoaster with a tracheotomy.

"Mom, she _wants_ to go," Jade protested after the fifth or sixth time Annie protested. "And Beck's trained in CPR… and I know how to put the trach back in!"

"And _I_ know how to put the trach back in," Evie said, looking up at her sister and her mother from her wheelchair.

"You're not going to be thinking about how to get it back in if you can't breathe," Annie said.

"Mom, I can't breathe half the time anyway," Evie said.

"And it's not like she can't breathe through her mouth and nose!" Jade added.

"You can wait by the exit," Beck suggested. "That way you'd know right away if there's a problem."

"And how do you think her trach is going to come out?" Jade went on. "As far as I know there's no robot hand that reaches down in the middle of the ride to yank out breathing tubes halfway through."

"Jade," Kent said, a little warningly. To Annie, he said, "Let the girls go. Jade takes good care of Evie, and Evie's smart enough to know when she's had enough."

Pulling out his map, he said, "We'll meet you at Cosmic Ray's."

He scanned the map and found the restaurant, pointing it out to Jade. "Come on, Annie. Let's go get a Coke."

"He sure knows how to talk to a lady," Annie said, giving her husband a smile.

They strolled away, hand in hand.

"This really _is_ the Magic Kingdom," Jade said as Beck took her hand.

"If we were back in LA Mom would have ground him into the floorboards," Evie agreed, watching her parents go.

"Chalk up another victory for Mickey Mouse," Beck said.

"Let's go," Evie said, "before Mom figures out what she just agreed to and comes to get us!"

They rode Space Mountain not once but twice, Evie laughing and screaming just as much as anyone else on the ride. Somehow – although it had really never been in doubt – her trach stayed in.

When they emerged from the darkness for the second time, hair wild, eyes wide with delight, Cat and Robbie were standing there, licking ice cream cones.

Cat saw them first. "Hey! Did you guys climb the mountain in space?"

"We sure did," Evie replied as Jade wheeled her towards their friends. "It was awesome."

"Where'd you get that ice cream?" Jade asked.

"Over there," Robbie said, and turned to point towards the serving cart in the middle of the plaza. When his head was turned, Jade leaned forward and grabbed the cone out of his hand.

"_Jade!"_ he protested.

She gave the ice cream a lick. "Mm, chocolate."

"I would have bought you one," Beck said, a little disapprovingly.

"I would have bought you one," Evie agreed.

"_I_ would have bought you one," Robbie put in, looking at the ice cream cone that was formerly his.

"This was easier," Jade said, and took another lick.

"Hey, where's Rex?" Beck asked, realizing that the smart-mouthed puppet was nowhere to be seen.

"He's at Cosmic Ray's with your parents," Cat answered. "He said he wanted to hear the dueling pianos."

"Makes sense," Beck said. "You want some ice cream, Evie?"

"No, I'm all right," Evie said, "but I think Robbie might want another one."

"Got _that_ right," Robbie said.

They wandered over to the ice cream cart. "Your parents are pretty cool," Robbie said to Evie and Jade. "Most people I know don't want to hang out with Rex."

"Mom and Dad like to party with whoever wants to party," Evie said as Beck ordered the ice cream.

"Oh, yeah, they're such partiers," Jade said.

"Until you apologize for stealing Robbie's ice cream cone, I'm not talking to you," Evie said to her sister, "and neither is Beck."

"Me too!" Cat agreed.

And so for ten minutes, while they all ate their respective ice creams, no one spoke to Jade. It must have been an odd sight for passerby, to see four teenagers, one attached to all sorts of machines and seated in a wheelchair, studiously ignoring another teen, dressed in dark clothing and eating her chocolate ice cream with a scowl.

Finally, Jade burst out, "This is ridiculous!"

"Apologize to Robbie," Beck said.

Jade scowled.

"Apologize to Robbie," Beck repeated, a little more firmly.

"Fine. Robbie, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Beck prompted.

"I'm sorry I stole your ice cream," Jade said in a small voice.

"Good girl," Beck said, and put his arm around Jade. "We should go meet your parents."

"They said they'd save us a table at Cosmic Ray's," Cat said.

"Yeah, they were really excited about something," Robbie said.

"But they wouldn't tell us. They said it was a surprise."

The group started to head towards Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café.

"Did you guys get some Mickey Mouse ears for Sikowitz and Ms. Santiago?" Evie asked Robbie.

"Andre said he was going to look," Robbie replied. "He and Tori were going on that Buzz Lightyear ride again."

"It was super-fun," Cat said.

Before they reached the doors of Cosmic Ray's, Evie shifted in her wheelchair. "Hey, look over there," she said, pointing.

"What is it?" Jade asked.

"Is that Sikowitz?"

"It couldn't be Sikowitz," Jade said. "It's probably just some other poorly-dressed, odd-haired guy."

"I've seen a lot of them today!" Cat said.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's Sikowitz," Evie said, leaning in the direction she was pointing, keeping her eyes glued to the man she had indicated. "I mean, who would wear those stripes and plaids together?"

"Sikowitz told us he had big plans for spring holiday," Beck reminded the group.

"Oh, yeah, what were they?" Robbie asked.

"He said he was going to try to guest-star on 'COPS,' like he did a couple years ago," Jade said.

"That was the funniest episode," Robbie said.

"My favorite part was when he ran away from the police while playing the accordion," Beck said.

"I'm positive it's him," Evie said.

"Only one way to find out," Jade said, and hollered, "_Hey, Sikowitz!"_

For a moment, nothing, and then the man Evie had indicated turned in their direction…

… as did the woman next to him.

"Hey, look, it's Ms. Santiago!" Cat exclaimed.

"What are _they_ doing here?" Jade demanded.

"It's still a free country," Robbie said.

"I didn't know they shot 'COPS' here," Cat said.

"Could you imagine?" Evie asked, grinning.

They were still too far away from Sikowitz and Santiago to hear anything the wild-haired man was saying, but he caught sight of Jade and started waving enthusiastically. Sikowitz grabbed Santiago by the arm and hauled her over to the kids. "Hey!" he greeted them when he was close enough. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Sikowitz, we _came_ here to meet them," Ms. Santiago said. "Hello, Evie."

"Hi, Ms. Santiago."

"You kids look like you're having fun," Ms. Santiago said.

"Yes, isn't this a brilliant place?" Sikowitz exclaimed. "Everyone's so cheerful! Not like LA! No one's thrown a slushy at me yet!"

"What are you doing here?" Jade asked.

"Well, we _were_ going to ride Space Mountain, but the line looks a little long," Sikowitz answered.

"No, I mean, what are you doing at Disney World?" Jade clarified.

"Oh! Well, I needed some Mickey Mouse ears."

"You sent me and Andre to get them," Beck said. "I've got the note right here."

As he dug into his pants pocket, Sikowitz said, "Well… I just decided I should get them myself."

"That's crazy," Jade said. "You came all this way for Mickey Mouse ears?"

"Well, what are _you_ doing here?" Sikowitz asked.

"Your parents invited us," Ms. Santiago said, elbowing Sikowitz.

"They did?" Jade asked.

"Mm-hmm," Ms. Santiago said. "And my parents have a condo down here, so it was fairly convenient."

"They didn't tell us you were coming," Evie said.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Ms. Santiago said. "We're all going to have dinner at the castle."

"We _are?"_ Evie asked, her eyes going wide.

"Oh, shoot," Ms. Santiago said, and clapped a hand over her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to tell you."

"We're going to meet them in Cosmic Ray's right now," Evie said. "We won't mention we saw you."

"It'll be our little secret," Ms. Santiago agreed. To Sikowitz, she said, "Let's go get those mouse ears before dinner."

"Of course, milady," Sikowitz said, and offered her his elbow.

They strolled away, waving.

"So… are they dating?" Cat asked, looking just as shell-shocked as the rest of the group.

"I thought you said it was just a dream!" Robbie said to Evie.

"It _was_," Evie said, staring after Sikowitz and Santiago.

"More like a nightmare," Jade muttered.

"You're such a cynic," Beck said, and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "Lucky for you, I like you anyway."

"Don't roll your eyes," Evie said as Jade resumed pushing her wheelchair.

"I _wasn't_," Jade protested, although she had been in the process of doing precisely that.

"I know you better," Evie said, and settled back in her chair.

As they walked towards Cosmic Ray's, Cat started giggling.

"What is it now?" Robbie wanted to know.

"I was thinking of Sikowitz getting arrested," Cat replied. "Like they were filming 'COPS' here."

"The only thing Sikowitz is guilty of, at the moment, is wearing those hideous plaid pants," Beck said, thinking that would settle the matter.

"They have fashion police," Cat said soberly. "Like, one time, they came to arrest my brother because he was wearing my mom's bathrobe and…"

There was a pause, and then she reconsidered. "No, wait, that was my Uncle Jesse. And… he was wearing one of my mom's bathrobes, too."


	46. Chapter 45

**A/N:** Hope everyone's having a great fall. Enjoy! And, as always, reviews are love!

* * *

After lunch, the group split up into different factions again. Jade and Beck went off in one direction, Cat, Robbie, Rex, and Andre in another. Annie and Kent, looking calmer and happier than Evie had ever seen her parents before, decided to go for a walk. That left Evie and Tori alone, standing in front of Cosmic Ray's as they looked at the map, cataloging their options.

"You know what I've wanted to do? Did you see those pin-trading booths on the way in?" Evie asked, pointing to the Main Street on the map.

"Yeah, I think I remember those," Tori said.

"They've got all sorts of stuff," Evie said, "and in the basket that Grant a Dream gave us, there were a bunch of certificates for discounts on pins, and maybe even some free pins. Let's go check it out before we meet Sikowitz and Santiago for dinner."

"Sounds good to me," Tori said. "Do you want me to push?"

"No, I'm going to walk," Evie said, and she applied the brakes on her wheelchair and then stood up. She untangled herself from the ventilator tubing, power cords, IV lines, and skinny tubing running from all parts of her body to the equipment hanging on the back of the chair, and then said, "Aw, heck. My parents are gone, right?"

"I don't see them," Tori replied with a conspiratorial smile.

"Good answer," Evie said, and with that, she disconnected herself from the ventilator, the IV pump, and her feeding pump, silencing alarms and winding up tubing as she went. With a quick flick of the wrist she flushed her feeding tube, and with another series of quick movements she cleaned the central line and locked it with heparin. When she had finished, she turned to Tori as she put her speaking valve over her trach tube. Apart from that, and from the little bits of tubing escaping from her collar and below the hem of her T-shirt, Evie looked like any park visitor. Totally normal.

"I'll put it all back on before they see us," Evie said, "but sometimes it's a pain in the ass to wear all that stuff. Gets in the way of having fun."

"I understand," Tori said, even though she really couldn't understand. But she knew the message Evie was trying to convey, and felt a sort of giddy kinship at aiding Evie in what little bit of sly trickery the girl could achieve.

A more perfect day could not have been created, even by Walt Disney himself. Evie was radiant in her Hogwarts T-shirt and pink sunglasses. The sun was high in a light blue sky, puffy white clouds bobbing along as though to the beat of some happy internal song.

Tori adjusted her sunglasses. "What do you think about Sikowitz and Santiago?" she asked Evie.

"Together, or separately?" was Evie's response.

"Together," Tori said. "I have plenty of opinions about them separately."

Evie considered this for a few minutes as they walked along. "I get the feeling Sikowitz doesn't date much," she said. "I mean, you've been to his house. Did you see any evidence that he's ever… dated?"

"I saw evidence that he visits a lot of thrift stores and garage sales," Tori said.

"Well, women go to those places too," Evie pointed out. "So it's not inconceivable that he could have possibly, at one point in his life, courted or been courted by someone."

She paused for a moment to let a toddler with Mickey Mouse ears dart in front of her wheelchair. "And I get the feeling Ms. Santiago hasn't dated much since she came to LA."

"Oh, yeah, where was she from?"

"Quebec," Evie said.

"Right, Quebec. I suppose you're going to tell me there are men there."

"Well, first of all, I'm pretty sure there are," Evie said. "But I know for a fact that Ms. Santiago had a very serious relationship with a young man in Quebec – so there's at least one for sure."

"How's her boyfriend coping with her move to LA?" Tori asked.

"He's not her boyfriend anymore, for starters," Evie said. "They broke up over… creative differences."

"Is that a fancy way of saying that he didn't like her art?"

"Oh, no, _he_ liked_ her_ art," Evie said. "But _she_ was the one who pointed out that it wasn't really tasteful to create sculptures of saints out of animal feces, and he got all huffy, hollered something in French at her that had to do with puritanical morals and society's constraints on artists, and then told her he never wanted to see her again."

Tori stopped in the middle of the path. "Ms. Santiago dated _that_ guy?"

"Why, do you know him?"

"Well, I don't _know_ him, but a couple of weeks ago Sikowitz had some newspaper article on his board about some guy in Quebec who was getting really famous with his sculptures of saints made out of dog doo."

"Let me guess – he was Sikowtitz's idea of a genius."

"Actually, no, Sikowitz thought he was a nutball."

Evie laughed. "If Sikowitz thinks he's crazy, he must be pretty bad."

They reached the pin trading station and went in separate directions, looking at all of the various pins, lanyards, and other pin trading goods available for purchase. Each Disney character or film seemed to be represented, along with each park. There was also a category for Disney history and one for holidays… the pins themselves seemed to go on forever.

"Can I help you?" A tiny, gray-haired Disney employee approached Evie a bit tentatively.

Evie turned to look at the little woman, who reminded her of her grandmother, and she smiled. "I'm just looking," she said.

But the woman had spotted Evie's Grant a Dream button. "Oh! You're with _them_," she said a bit reverently, touching Evie's button. "Ah, then you come with me, and we'll set you up."

Tori, having decided she wanted no part of a sale on Tinkerbell pins, came around the corner almost at the same time. "What's going on?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Evie said, watching as the little woman scurried off to the checkout counter. "But she's really excited about something."

The woman came back with a gauzy purple tulle bag. "To match your chair," she said a bit sheepishly, pointing to Evie's purple wheelchair. "And is she with you?" she asked, indicating Tori.

"Oh, um, yeah, she is."

"I'll get her one, too. What's your favorite color, sweetheart?"

"Uh, green," Tori said.

"Be right back."

"What's in the bag?" Tori asked Evie as soon as the grandmotherly woman had scurried back to her counter.

Evie undid the little satin drawstring at the top of the bag and pulled out a brightly-colored lanyard, patterned with interlocking Mickey Mouse heads in rainbow colors. There were a handful of pins in there as well.

The grandmother woman came back, eyes still twinkling, and handed Tori a similar bag, in green. "I'm so happy you came in today," she said. "I always enjoy meeting the Grant a Dream recipients. Makes me feel good about what I do."

She gave Evie a pink slip of paper. "Pick out a few pins and then bring them up to the counter. They're on me."

"Wow," Evie said. "Thanks so much."

"Thank you," Tori added.

"Listen," the woman said, "some things in life are bigger than money – they're about the experience. And I see you… you've got plenty of other baggage. Sometimes I see folks come in here so absolutely blasé about the magic all around them. Like everything is just another inconvenience to them, whether it's having to wait in line or one of us cast members asking them to move out of handicapped parking… but you, chicky, you're special. All you Dream kids are."

The woman was tearing up now, and Evie leaned forward and hugged her impulsively. "Thank you for saying that," Evie said.

"Oh, darling," the woman said. "Every Dream kid I see in here makes me wish I could do more for them… they've done so much for me."

She patted Evie on the back. "Tell you what – you just make me a promise, you'll come back here and see Granny Evelyn again."

Evie laughed, still in the embrace. "Your name is Evelyn?"

"What, you think somebody like me should have a terrible name like Gertrude or Mabel?"

Evie giggled. "Evelyn is _my_ name," she said.

"Then it's fate, chicky, we're destined to be friends," the woman said. "Now, go pick out your pins. You too, friend-of-Evelyn."

"Okay," Evie said, and then hesitated. "Um, Granny?"

"That's my name."

"You said that Grant a Dream did so much for you. What did they do, if you don't mind my asking?"

The cast member's smile became sweeter, her eyes twinkled just a bit more, and she reached for the circular locket hanging around her neck. "When I see you kids come in here, living and thriving and surviving – it helps me to realize I made the right decision."

With a rounded fingernail she popped the locket open, and held its contents towards Evie.

Evie leaned in. The locket contained two round pictures, each featuring a dark-haired girl upright in a wheelchair, eyes distant, limbs contracted. One girl wore a multi-colored striped shirt and the other wore a Disney T-shirt. The girl in the Disney shirt had a trach and ventilator tubing wound away from her body. The striped-shirt girl wore hearing aids and big thick glasses.

"My twins," Granny Evelyn said proudly. "When they were born they told me to put them away. Put them in an institution and forget about them, have some healthy kids. And I said no. They'll be twenty-five next Christmas and I love them more than life itself. They're too old for a Dream now, of course, but every time I see a Dream kid in here, I know it's possible for other families facing the impossible to just believe in magic again."

* * *

Around five o'clock, Evie and Tori met up with Kent and Annie. Evie and her parents showed Tori a special room, almost "hidden" in the park, that had been set aside for Grant a Dream families to relax while they were in the park. Evie got out of her wheelchair and did a nebulizer treatment while reclining on a couch. Tori flipped through a Disney Store catalog.

"Did you have a nice afternoon?" Annie asked, looking at the pin-filled lanyard draped over the back of Evie's wheelchair.

"Mm-hmm," Evie said, humming in time with the nebulizer.

"What are we doing for dinner?" Tori asked innocently, giving Evie a wink.

"Oh, we thought we'd have dinner here in the park somewhere," Annie said. "Do you want to look on the map and find some place that looks tasty?"

"Well, there's always that frozen custard booth back in Frontierland," Evie said. "Twenty-one flavors, can you believe it?"

"Could you pick something a little fancier?" Kent asked. He was sitting on the couch across from Evie, reading a newspaper.

"Plus, you know your father. Custard gives him indigestion," Annie said.

"Hmm, fancier," Evie said.

"Well, I heard there's a special restaurant _in_ Cinderella's Castle," Tori said, "but… no… that's probably way too fancy."

"Yeah, guess we'll have to settle for Pluto's Pizza," Evie said. "But… man, I'd really like to eat dinner at Cinderella's Castle."

"Oh, you stinkers, you already know!" Annie cried, looking both disappointed and happy. "How did you find out?"

"Believe it or not, we saw Sikowitz and Santiago in the park, and they told us," Tori said.

"Oh! I _swore_ those two to secrecy!" Annie huffed. "Well, I guess it makes sense – Sikowitz probably hasn't kept a secret since the Soviet Union was still a country."

"He's actually very trustworthy," Tori said.

"Ms. Santiago seems to be a bit of a loose lips lady," Evie said, "but it's really not her fault. She's just talkative."

Annie rolled her eyes and laughed. "It's all right, I'm not _that_ mad. Do the others know?"

"Um, yeah, they were with us."

Annie groaned again. "Can't _anyone_ keep a secret?"

* * *

"Mr. Sikowitz! Ms. Santiago! Over here!" Annie waved.

Sikowitz and Santiago crossed the castle floor. Unbelievably, since the kids' earlier meeting in the park, both teachers had changed clothes. Sikowitz still wore his usual unkempt trousers, shirt, and vest, but the trousers and shirt were black and the vest was an eye-catching emerald green. Ms. Santiago had donned a sleeveless dress of the same emerald green color. The teachers wore traditional black Mickey Mouse ears, and they were smiling as though it was Christmas Eve.

"You look great," Evie said to Ms. Santiago. "I love that color."

"Oh, really?" Ms. Santiago asked, pulling at the dress hem a bit. "I thought I'd give it a try. My sister thought it would look nice, but I wasn't so sure."

"No, definitely amazing," Evie said.

"You do look nice, Ms. Santiago," Jade said from her position behind Evie's wheelchair.

"And Jade doesn't give out a lot of compliments," Evie said.

"No, usually it's insults followed by threats of physical violence," Beck agreed.

"_What?"_ Jade asked.

"But we love you anyway," he said, and kissed her.

"And even Sikowitz looks good," Evie said.

"Doesn't he clean up well?" Ms. Santiago beamed. "He could really be a handsome fellow, if he just put some effort into his clothing."

"And his hair, and his personal hygiene habits, and his…" Jade's voice trailed off as Beck quieted her with another kiss.

A waiter in a tuxedo appeared and led the group into the castle dining room. When he had settled everyone with cloth napkins, water goblets, and menus, he left them to decide on their order.

"This place is so fancy!" Cat exclaimed. "It's even fancier than Bella Fina!"

"You'll have to tell us all about your trip," Ms. Santiago said to Evie.

"Oh, it's been amazing," Evie said. "Totally unbelievable."

As student and teacher became deeply entwined in conversation, Cat was looking around the palace's dining room, admiring all of the finery.

"Does Cinderella really live here?" she asked after a long few minutes.

"It's her weekend palace," Tori said with a straight face.

"Yeah, the weeks she usually spends in Cape Hatteras. She's a working lady, you know," Andre added.

"Got that dressmaking business keeping her pretty busy," Jade agreed.

Cat looked at each of her friends in turn, attempting to figure out who was going to crack first. "Nuh-uh, you guys. She lives here."

"Would _you_ live here all the time if people were constantly eating in your dining room?" Jade asked.

"It'd be like a party," Cat said in a small voice.

The waiter returned to take their orders. Before Kent could even finish his entrée selection, Cat thrust her hand into the air.

"What is it, Cat?" Sikowitz sighed.

"Is Cinderella here?" Cat wanted to know, looking at the waiter with a stern glare as though to insist upon truth.

"No, milady," the waiter said without missing a beat.

"_See?"_ Cat looked triumphantly at the group.

"Since it's spring break, she and Prince Charming knew the castle would be in high demand, so they've vacated the premises," the waiter went on. "I believe they're at Dumbledore's birthday party this evening, and then they'll spend the rest of the week on the coast."

And with that, he turned back to Kent.

"You didn't believe us," Tori said to Cat in a teasing tone.

"It just sounded ridiculous," Cat said.

"But it sounded totally plausible that the fashion police came to arrest your brother?"

"He looked silly in that bathrobe," Cat replied, and fiddled with her fork, looking a bit put out.

"What is it?" Jade asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking – I wish we were invited to Dumbledore's birthday party. Cinderella's there, and so's the prince, and I bet Luna Lovegood went, and Sylvia's probably there…"

"… And they're probably celebrating the fact that no Muggles are there," Jade said.

"Muggles! What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It's the wizarding term for non-magical folk," Jade replied.

"We're wizarding!" Cat said indignantly. "They gave us wands, didn't they?"

"Um…" Jade said, suddenly at a loss to explain the whole situation.

It was Rex who provided the answer, propped up on the table near Robbie's water glass. "They were pity wands."

"Like that pity prize they gave Robbie after the science fair?" Cat asked.

"Rex!" Robbie cried.

"You betcha," Rex replied. "_Just_ like that."

"It all makes sense now," Cat said happily.


	47. Chapter 46

**A/N:** Hi everybody! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have a lot of fond memories from Disney Hollywood Studios and I was happy to put them all into this chapter to share with you. Thanks for sticking around - and remember, reviews are love!

* * *

The next morning, when Sikowitz and Santiago met the group at Disney Hollywood Studios, they were still wearing their Mickey Mouse ear hats. Hand-in-hand they stood near the front gates, smiling as the Wests' rental van pulled into a handicapped parking spot.

"Good morning, young people!" Sikowitz called.

"Good morning, Sikowitz!" Cat squealed from the back of the van.

Kent went around the back of the van, opened the hatch, and yanked out Evie's wheelchair. Annie got out of the passenger side with the IV infusion pump slung over her shoulder, squeezing the bag of antibiotics to prime the tubing. The back doors opened and Beck, Jade, Tori, Andre, and Robbie spilled out of the van. Robbie reached back into the van to pull out Rex.

The puppet yawned. "You think we'll see any hot chicks here? There were no hot chicks at Magic Kingdom."

"There's tons of hot chicks in LA," Robbie said.

"Yeah, but I'm always with you in LA," Rex replied.

From the back of the van came a muffled squeak from Cat. "I'm stuck!"

Tori reached back into the van and undid the seatbelt holding Cat to the seat. "There you go."

"Thanks!" Cat giggled.

Tori held the seatbelt out of the way so Cat could crawl out from the back of the vehicle. Evie was still sitting in the backseat, and Tori gave her friend a critical look. Evie looked tired, drawn, pale. She was hooked up to the ventilator and the oxygen compressor and her feeding pump. But when she caught Tori looking at her, she gave her a smile. "Ready for another day of adventure?"

"Yeah," Tori said.

Cat caught her foot on the door on her way out and tumbled into the parking lot. Andre grabbed her and hauled her back upright. "Thanks!" she squawked.

"No problem," Andre said.

"Evie-kins, are you ready?" Annie asked, coming to stand next to Tori. "I got your pump figured out."

"Thanks, Mom," Evie said, giving her mother a smile.

Annie helped Evie get her equipment out of the backseat, and settled her daughter into her wheelchair. "Kent, hand me that backpack," she said.

"Which one?" Kent wanted to know, only a bit sarcastically.

"The one with the IV pump supplies," Annie said. "No, not that one. Blue tag. Blue tag, Kent!"

At last the proper backpack was located, and Evie's central line was disinfected, flushed, and hooked up to the IV pump. Annie scrubbed her hands vigorously with hand sanitizer and returned all the supplies to the backpack. "Okay, I'm ready," she said. "Let's go have some fun!"

After passing through the entrance gates, Ms. Santiago picked up one of the map pamphlets. Opening it, she studied it for a few moments, and then exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! Kids, look at this!"

She folded the pamphlet backwards so the map was showing, and poked a magenta-nailed finger at the top of the map. "Look at that – the American Idol Experience!"

"So?" Jade asked.

"I think Ms. Santiago thinks we should go take Disney by storm," Beck said.

"You kids are great singers!" Ms. Santiago agreed. "You could totally win!"

"It'd be so great!" Cat squealed. "We could do that new duet we did for the Sunrise Showdown! Remember, Jade?"

"How could I forget, Cat?"

"Well, I just mean, it was two months ago, and…"

"You sang that song eight hundred times every single day. I'm pretty sure I'll be singing it on the day I die."

"Perfect!" Cat clapped her hands.

"Okay, we'll sing," Jade said. "But you have to ride the Tower of Terror with us."

"_What?"_

"You heard me," Jade said, grinning a bit devilishly.

"But that's the scary building!" Cat's mouth was wide open.

"Yeah, it's exactly where I imagine Jade will live… if she ever leaves LA," Andre said.

"What else should we see?" Annie asked, peering over Ms. Santiago's shoulder at the map. "Oh, how about the Muppets? Jadey, you _love_ the Muppets."

"_Mom!"_

"Oh, Jade, you so do," Evie said.

"I liked them when I was _little_," Jade said.

"And you do that wonderful impression of that one character… who is it?" Annie mused.

"The Swedish Chef!" Evie cried.

"Oh, Jadey, do your Swedish Chef impression," Annie said, smiling.

"I'll do it with you," Kent offered.

"I don't do a Swedish Chef impression," Jade protested.

"Come on, sweetie, _bork-n-bork-n-bork," _Kent said.

In the end, the group decided to go on the Tower of Terror first, followed by the Aerosmith rollercoaster, as the American Idol show wasn't scheduled until later in the day. Annie volunteered to stay with the backpacks of supplies, and at first Cat offered to go with her.

But Jade wasn't having any of that. "Come on, Cat, you're going with us."

"That place looks like my uncle's house," Cat said.

"No, it doesn't," Jade said. "Your uncle Rocko lives in a trailer park called Bluebird Estates. Your uncle Jesse owns a loft apartment. And your uncles in San Francisco have a townhouse. None of those places look like the Tower of Terror."

"Oh," Cat said. "Well, okay then! Let's go!"

"Don't wear yourself out, sweetie," Annie said to Evie. "And don't get too scared, okay?"

"_Mom_," Jade said. "Evie's the one who watches all those zombie movies."

"Well, only the ones that are actually allegoric parodies," Evie pointed out. "You watch the gory ones."

Annie patted Evie's cheek affectionately. "My smart, smart girls."

"What's an allergic… parsnip?" Robbie wanted to know.

"Allegoric parody," Evie corrected as the group walked away from Annie, heading towards the Tower of Terror.

"Take good care of them," Annie said to Sikowitz.

"I shall, milady," Sikowitz said, doffing his Mickey Mouse ears in a noble sort of way.

The path to the Tower of Terror wound through immaculate gardens, under big, wide spreading trees that provided great shade cover. Tori pushed Evie's wheelchair. Jade teased Cat about the scary ride, while Beck and Andre tried to figure out how to keep Cat from having a panic attack right there in line.

"Look at them," Evie said, looking up at Tori.

"Who?" Tori asked.

"Sikowitz and Santiago," Evie said quietly, grinning.

Tori looked back at the two teachers. Sikowitz had his Mickey Mouse ears perched rakishly on his head, and he was smiling, sunlight dappling his face. Ms. Santiago stood next to him, very close to him, with her head on his shoulder. Their hands were intertwined; if their smiles got any larger, they would threaten to split their faces.

"Aw, they're so cute," Tori said. "How long have they been… you know… _going out?"_

"It's such a high school term," Evie said. "But I think about… um… two months? Or so? They've at least been seeing each other for two months. There might have been some sort of courtship before that. Sikowitz strikes me as an old-fashioned gentleman."

"Poetry, maybe," Tori mused, "or some sort of confectionary…"

"… a silly hat," Evie agreed.

"You _guys_, this ride sounds really scary!" Cat protested again. "Like, what happens if the ghosts get mad that we're here, and they take us and make us work in the hotel forever?"

"Cat, where do you want me to start?" Jade asked. "First of all – if the _millions_ of people who've been through this ride in the last year haven't been enough to get the ghosts all riled up, why do you think we're so special?"

"Um, well…"

"And they actually _pay_ people to work here," Jade went on. "They're called cast members. And the ghosts have nothing to do with it."

"I've heard they love tiny red-headed girls," Robbie said.

"Just be glad they don't love Jewish boys with 'fros," Rex said.

"Robbie, you're going to scream just as much as Cat," Jade said disdainfully.

"Um, I don't think so," Robbie said, trying to look stern.

"You cried at that haunted house we went to," Rex said. "You know, the one put on by your grandparents' senior center?"

"That was scary!" Robbie protested. "There was that old veteran guy dressed up like Death – and he didn't have any teeth! And he was missing an eye! And he had that mechanical larynx thing!"

From somewhere behind the gardens came the sound of terrified screamers.

"Listen to that," Jade said with relish.

"I'll hold your hand, Cat, if it'll make you feel better," Evie said.

"_You're_ not scared?" Cat asked.

Evie shook her head. "What can this ride throw at me that could be scarier than anything life's already thrown at me? It'll be a different kind of terrifying, of course…"

"Well, if you're not scared, I'll try not to be scared," Cat said.

"Oh, children, don't be silly," Sikowitz said broadly from behind them. "There is nothing to fear but…"

"Fear itself?" Andre suggested.

"Well, that's ridiculous," Sikowitz said. "Fear isn't scary; it's irrational. I was going to say there is nothing to fear but Ebola and big dogs."

"What about big dogs _with_ Ebola?" Ms. Santiago asked.

"Perish the _thought_, my cupcake!"

The group reached the entrance to the actual hotel, and wound their way through the queue. Sikowitz looked at the surroundings with a critical eye. "This place is nicer than the motel I stayed at in Iowa City. It's actually nicer than the place I first registered us here in Orlando."

"Our hotel is nice," Ms. Santiago said.

"Oh, yeah, _this_ one is nice. The one I had us in before was twenty dollars cheaper a night, but they called and said there was a roach problem," Sikowitz said.

Ms. Santiago shuddered.

At the farthest end of the queue was a set of double doors. Slowly but surely, large groups were taken in through those doors, never to appear again.

At last the doors opened again, and a bellhop appeared, ushering the visitors into the room beyond. "Ladies and gentlemen, I do apologize, but your rooms are not yet ready," the young man intoned. "Please, feel free to entertain yourselves in the library while we prepare your rooms."

The room was suddenly very full of people, all buzzing around the bookshelves, wondering aloud over the strange circumstances. Evie coughed once and readjusted her ventilator attachment before waving at Jade. "Suction," she managed to say.

Jade grabbed the suction machine and flipped the bag open, reaching for a fresh suction catheter. She jammed it onto the end of the suction tubing, turned the suction machine on, and handed the catheter to Evie. Evie took off her ventilator attachment, causing the ventilator to start wailing, and threaded the suction catheter into her trach. There was a _glug_ and a _gurgle_, and Evie coughed harder.

"Easy," Jade said, looking a little worried.

More gurgling, and Evie pulled the catheter out of her trach. "Ugh," she said.

"Did you get it?" Jade asked.

"I got something," Evie said, making a repulsed face. "I think I might have to go again… will you bag me?"

"I can do that," Jade said.

She rummaged around in Evie's backpack and came out with a football-shaped plastic bag with a valve on one end. With a practiced hand Jade fitted the valve over Evie's trach and pumped air down through the trach – once, twice…

"Good," Evie gasped, and threaded the catheter back down into her trach tube.

By now the medical drama was attracting stares from fellow Disney visitors. Sikowitz and Santiago, having sensed the prying eyes, came closer to the kids, waving Andre and Beck and Robbie in towards the girls, as though to "circle the wagons" around their charges. Kent put a hand on Jade's shoulder, just to let her know he was there in case things went south.

But Evie managed to get a bunch of mucus out of her trach with the final sweep, and within moments, the suction machine was turned off, the ventilator was back on, and the alarms were silenced.

It was then that the TV in the corner lit up and the music from "The Twilight Zone" started to play. "Welcome to another dimension," an announced intoned. "A dimension of sound. A dimension of sight. A dimension of the mind. You're now in a land of changes and ideas… a land of shadows and substance. You've just crossed over into… _The Twilight Zone_.

"Hollywood: 1939. Amid the bustling glitz and glitter of the movie town at the height of its golden age, the Hollywood Tower Hotel was…"

"I'm already scared," Cat whispered.

"Hold my hand," Evie said, and slipped her little hand into the redhead's.

"… now, something is about to happen that will change all that," the announcer continued. Cue the scary music, heavy on the strings, and a lightning strike, shown as striking all participants in the elevator.

Cat gasped. "Is _that_ going to happen to _us?"_

"Of course not," Ms. Santiago said, trying to be reassuring.

"Yes, of course not," Sikowitz agreed. "For one thing, we're wearing much more insulating footwear."

"The time is now, on an evening much like the one we have just witnessed," the announcer went on. "Tonight's story on _The Twilight Zone_ is unique and requires a very different sort of introduction. This, as you can see, is a maintenance elevator. It's still in operation, and it's waiting for you."

"It's waiting for _us_," Cat squeaked.

Evie squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"We invite you, if you dare, to step aboard, because in tonight's episode _you_ are the star."

"Hear that, Cat?" Jade asked, grinning a bit sadistically. "_You're_ the star."

"Hey," Beck said. "Knock it off."

But his reprimand was unnecessary. "Ooh, I'm the star?"

"You sure are," Evie said, glaring at her sister.

The TV went off and the lights came back up, sort of, as the doors on the far side of the library swung open and another bellhop announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, you may now exit through the corridor to your left. Here you will board the elevator that will take you to your rooms."

Tori resumed pushing Evie's wheelchair. Cat clung to her friend's hand.

"You're going to have let go in a minute," Evie said, "so I can take off the vent."

"Okay," Cat said, still sounding a bit nervous.

The group was herded through a series of shadowy corridors, each one filled with steamy boilers and clanking machinery. All too soon it was time to board the elevator car. Evie took off her ventilator, silenced the alarms, and popped the speaking valve over her trach tube. A bellhop moved her chair off to one side and gestured to the elevator. "Let me know if you need any further assistance."

And then they were in the dark, alone. And the car started moving. And there was that creepy announcer again. "Board the car that will take you into your own personal Twilight Zone."

Up popped a series of blue holograms.

Cat squeaked.

"Wow," Andre said.

"Those are the people from the video!" Cat exclaimed.

Lightning struck, thunder crashed, and stars appeared, seeming to suck the elevator car into a time warp.

"Hold my hand," Cat whispered to Evie.

"I will," Evie replied, and she meant it.

Sometimes, it was so easy to forget that she was kept under the thumb of the dread illness cystic fibrosis – at least, to her. And not so much anymore that she was dragging around the ventilator and associated equipment, but at some times in her life she could just focus on being Evie, Cat's friend or Tori's friend or Jade's sister, instead of _the sick girl_.

As the elevator car rose, putting its riders in position for the crazy drops and jerks that made up the scary part of the ride, Evie held Cat's hand tight, smiling in the darkness in anticipation.

And as they fell – and rose – and fell – and rose – and _fell_ – she screamed and she laughed like she was anyone else…

… because for the next series of minutes, until they returned to the place where her chair was and she had to hook herself back up to the machines that were keeping her comfortable and allowing her to have such a wonderful time, despite her fatigued body…

… until then, _until then_… she was just Cat's friend, gripping her friend's hand as though it was anchoring her to the elevator car, screaming and laughing…

… because she _was_ just like everyone else.


	48. Chapter 47

**A/N**: Been working hard... I guess. :)

Enjoy this chapter - there should be more soon.

* * *

From the Tower of Terror to the Aerosmith rollercoaster to the Muppet stage show, the group of tourists skipped around Disney Hollywood Studios. When they finally stopped for lunch, Evie fell asleep in her wheelchair.

Annie smiled at her daughter fondly, tilted Evie's wheelchair back, and made sure all of Evie's life support was securely attached before readjusting the pink sunglasses on Evie's nose. "My little fair-skinned wonders," she said to Tori, who was on her left. "I can't figure out how my two ladies stay so fair in that sunny city of ours."

"Well, um, Jade never goes outside," Tori suggested. "And Evie… wears sunscreen?"

"Ah, that could be it," Annie said.

"Tori, Tori," Andre said. "Hey, you have to help us figure out what song we're going to do for that American Idol competition."

"I thought Jade and Cat were going to sing that song from the Sunrise Showdown," Tori said.

"We changed our minds," Cat said.

"I didn't change _my_ mind," Jade said.

"We changed our minds," Cat repeated.

"And we're going to do a group number," Robbie said.

"Oh," Tori said. "Yeah, sounds good."

"Sikowitz said we should do that Russian folk song we learned for the school fundraiser," Beck said.

"But I can't remember how it goes," Cat said.

"Cat, you weren't even _at_ that performance," Tori pointed out. "Remember? Your brother fell into a dumpster and broke his leg, and you had to go to the hospital with him."

"Oh, yeah!" Cat said. "Now I remember."

"It's a shame," Robbie said. "We sounded so good."

"Nothing like communism in four-part harmony," Beck agreed.

"What about 'Favorite Foods'?" Robbie suggested.

"You want to start a riot here?" Jade asked.

"Why, do you think kids would riot?"

"No, but _I_ would," Jade said.

"That's not a riot," Robbie said.

"No, it's more like _vigilante_," Jade said.

"Eww, _Jade_," Cat said.

"_Vigilante_," Jade repeated.

"Oh," Cat said.

"Something simple," Andre said.

"But it has to sound _amazing_," Tori added.

"Perhaps something from the Broadway _oeuvre_," Sikowitz suggested, adjusting his Mickey Mouse ears. "A classic."

"Kids these days don't want classics," Ms. Santiago said. "Sad but true, my dear."

"But Broadway's not a bad thought," Beck said.

With that, Tori, Andre, and Cat turned to each other, and as one, cried, "_Wicked!"_

"Oh, it's _so_ overdone," Jade said.

"You love 'Wicked,'" Beck said.

"Well, yeah, but every art school ingénue thinks they're big enough to sing two songs – 'Defying Gravity' and 'On My Own' from _Les Mis_," Jade said.

"We'll let you sing lead," Tori said.

"Done," Jade said.

The waitress arrived. "So, let's get you folks some food!" she said, almost as perkily as Cat on too much coffee.

She went around the table, answering questions and taking orders. When she reached the sleeping Evie, sitting in the sunshine, she pointed with her pen. "Does she want anything?"

"Believe it or not, she's getting her lunch right now," Annie said with a smile. "Tell me about your roasted rosemary potatoes…"

* * *

"Cat?" Evie looked at her red-headed friend, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Cat asked, perfectly innocently.

"Well, I know this is a dream," Evie said.

"How can you tell?"

"Um, well, the tipoff was the bear costume you're wearing," Evie said, motioning to Cat's attire. "Your mom said she wouldn't buy it for you because she didn't want to assist with your bear fetish."

"I don't have a bear fetish!"

"Well, I know that and _you_ know that, but after that incident with your brother… and that dolphin…"

"_Never_ speak of it!"

"I'm just saying," Evie said with a grin. "And besides, if this was real, where's all my equipment? Where's the tubes and wires that make up the android formerly known as Evie West?"

"You're not an android any more than I'm a bear," the bear-costumed Cat said.

"I think your mom really should have gotten you that costume."

"Why?"

"Because you seem smarter."

"I _am_ this smart."

"Yeah, in your dreams."

"We're in _your_ dreams, Evie."

"Oh, yeah." Evie grinned at Cat. "So, what are we here for, Fearlessly Intelligent Bear Cat?"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Doesn't it?"

"Hey, I saw _Inception_."

"Yeah, Cat, you saw it five times and all you said was 'Man, Ellen Page is cute.'"

"'Cause she _is_!"

"Look, if we're not going to do something, I'm pretty sure there's a hot guy somewhere I could go… kiss… or I could go dance on The Ellen Show – that's what happened last night in my dream."

"Is that why you were kicking Jade?" The head of the bear costume dropped farther onto Cat's head, and with a muffled shriek she shoved it back up.

"Yeah, if that's what you want to believe," Evie said.

Bear-Cat waved her paw at the expanse of ocean before them. "Aren't you wondering what we're doing here?"

"Nope."

"What?"

Evie shrugged. "It's a dream… you're in a bear suit and I'm not hooked up to machines. Whatever goes, my ursine friend." Before Cat could say anything, she said, "It means _bear-like_."

"Thank you." Bear-Cat took some steps towards the surf. "We're here because I'm going to give you very good news."

"I'm the next winner of the Publishers' Clearing House sweepstakes?"

"No," Cat said.

"Fair enough."

"Look out there," Cat said. "What do you see?"

"You mean besides some dolphins?" Evie said, giving Cat a cheeky grin.

"_Never_ speak of it!"

Deciding to humor a figment of her imagination, Evie said, "Yeah, Cat, I see a beautiful ocean. And a beautiful sky."

"And…?"

"And since you told me not to mention the… you know…"

"Do you see possibility?"

"Not explicitly," Evie said. "But I guess when you look at things, possibility is everywhere. Damn, you _are_ smart in a bear suit."

"Just remember," the dream-bear Cat said, "the ocean's always going to be there."

"That's very profound," Evie said, and turned away from the ocean to walk up the dunes.

"Where are you going?" Cat demanded, sounding disappointed.

"I'm going to see if Ellen Page is here."

"What? _Why?"_

"'Cause I heard she loves bears."

* * *

And back in Disney, strapped into her wheelchair, machines clicking and whirring, pink sunglasses shading her eyes from the bright Orlando sun, Evie smiled.

"She always looks happy," Tori said to Annie.

"That she does," Annie said.

"Wonder what she's dreaming about," Tori said.

"Knowing our Evie, I bet it's something sweet."


	49. Chapter 48

**A/N:** Reviews are love!

* * *

After a leisurely lunch, the group headed over to the American Idol Experience. Tori pushed Evie's wheelchair as Andre and Cat attempted to finesse some of the more intricate harmonies in "Defying Gravity."

"A little higher, Cat," Andre suggested.

Robbie skirted a trash can. "I think Beck should take the bottom."

"Well, of course Beck's going to take the bass part," Jade said. "He's got the most…"

"No, I think Andre should do bass," Beck interrupted. "I feel more comfortable with a tenor part in this song, honestly."

"Really, man?" Andre asked. "That's awfully nice of you."

"I just don't think I could carry the bottom harmonies," Beck said.

"Who gets to hit the high F?" Cat wanted to know.

"Robbie could," Jade said.

"Be _nice_," Beck said to her.

"I _am_ being nice," Jade replied. "Just get him scared about something, and he'll hit somewhere in that range."

"Let Cat do it," Tori suggested.

"Really?"

"You've got the strength," Tori said.

"But you can hit that note, too," Cat said to Tori. "And so can Jade."

"But neither of us can sustain it the way you can," Tori replied.

"Okay, so, Andre's got the bass part, Beck's on tenor, Cat's got the soprano," Jade said. "Tori and I can fight over contralto and alto once we get in there…"

"Where does that leave me?" Robbie asked.

"Tenor," Andre said. "You're our steadiest tenor."

"Except for when he's our steadiest alto," Sikowitz said from behind the kids.

"Sikowitz!" Robbie said, flushing. "You were never supposed to tell anyone about that!"

"You should never be embarrassed to have such lovely tone, Robbie," Sikowitz said. "When my grandmother's nursing home did that production of _Rent_, you were the very best Maureen."

Robbie went a different shade of red.

"He was," Sikowitz said to Santiago.

"Oh, I believe it," Ms. Santiago said.

"Come on, Robbie," Jade said, grinning. "Give us a bit of 'Light My Candle.'"

"I was _supposed_ to be Roger!" Robbie protested. "But Sikowitz…"

"Ah, yes, it was completely my fault," Sikowitz agreed. "The young woman scheduled to play Maureen had a nasty run-in with one of those pneumatic tube systems the banks use to collect deposits, and, well… Robbie knew the part. For what it's worth, Robbie, the folks at Shady Pines are still asking where you are."

"I'll come visit at Hanukkah," Robbie mumbled.

"We're here!" Cat exclaimed, looking up at the big sign overhead.

Evie smiled, fuzzily, in her sleep, and then yawned, shifting in her chair. "Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Annie asked, coming over to rub Evie's cheek.

"Did we…?" Evie yawned again, and then held up her wrist. Dangling from it was the silver hare bracelet Evanna had given her, and the sight of it seemed to answer Evie's question. "Never mind."

"I understand precisely, my sweet," Annie said, and kissed Evie on the top of her head.

Evie smiled, shifted the bracelet on her wrist, and pushed up her sunglasses. "The American Idol Experience," she read from the sign overhead. "Please tell me Simon Cowell's going to be here."

"Funny, I'm pretty sure he's got other commitments," Robbie said dryly.

"Like Dumbledore's birthday party!" Cat squealed.

"Like Dumbledore would invite _that_ hater to his birthday party," Jade said.

"Yeah, Simon would just rag on the house elves and tell them how horrible the feast was," Evie said, and she and Jade shared a laugh. In her best fake British accent, Evie said, "My God, Dobby, that plum pudding was a _joke_. I don't think you're quite right for this castle. Get out of here."

"And then Paula would say something like, 'Oh, Dobby, I thought you were sweet. You had heart, and that's what matters. Have a scarf,'" Jade said, playing along.

"And Randy would be all like, 'You're short, dawg, but you've got mad skills. Thanks for the extra mashed potatoes!'"

The sisters nearly fell over giggling.

"Ah, nerd talk," Robbie said.

"It's so much funnier when you're not the one spouting off all that jibber-jabber," Rex said.

With that, the group headed into the American Idol Experience.

A young woman with a headset greeted them. "How many?" she asked.

"We're here to sing," Robbie said.

"You and the… puppet?" the woman wanted to know, clearly confused.

"Oh, no, not Rex," Robbie said. "Although, I mean, he's got a pretty good voice. When he does 'Solsbury Hill' at the karaoke bar, all the old ladies cry into their tea and whiskey…"

"Um, so…?" Now the woman was clearly stymied.

"There's a bunch of us," Beck said, quickly stepping in. "We're from Hollywood Arts High School."

"And we know you don't usually let groups sing," Andre added, "but we're here with Evie…"

He stepped back to let the woman see Evie in her wheelchair, fiddling with her ventilator tubes. The woman finally looked like she understood. "You're with Grant a Dream."

"Yes," Kent said. "Yes, we are."

"Could you make an exception, just this once?" Cat asked.

"Give me just a second," the woman said. She pressed her earpiece and spoke into it, turning away from the group.

It only took a moment, and then she was back, a smile on her face. "Hugh says he'd be pleased to have a group of singers, especially if you came all this way. Please, follow me."

"We went to Harry Potter's house," Cat said.

"Did you now?" the woman asked. "How nice."

She first led the group to a series of bleacher seats. "Everyone who's going to be watching the show, have a seat here at the bottom," she said. "And those of you who will be singing, come with me, please."

"See you in a bit," Tori said to Evie.

"Give 'em hell," Evie said, and grinned.

Backstage the woman left the friends standing next to a table filled with bottled water and Oreos.

"Sweet," Rex observed. "Free cookies."

"They might not be for us," Robbie said.

"Man, who else would they be for?" Rex asked.

"Um, I don't know – the celebrity judges."

Tori could feel nervousness start fizzling in her bones. "This is a big deal, you guys."

"Oh, please. There were more people at the Sunrise Showdown, and it was _at sunrise_," Jade said.

"Yeah, you think that would have been a bigger turn-off," Beck mused.

Jade momentarily softened. "I know what you mean, though. It's like…"

"It's like we're doing it for Evie," Tori said.

"Exactly." Jade nodded.

Seconds later, a tiny man in a bright blue button-down leapt towards them. "Hello! You must be the students from Hollywood Arts! Nina told me all about your noble quest, and I think it's just the best!"

"Um, and _you_ are?" Jade asked.

"Oh! Forgive me! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Hugh Miller – the emcee for this show!" He stuck out his hand towards the group.

Cat was the only one to take it. "Hi! I'm Cat!"

"Excellent, excellent!" Hugh shook her hand vigorously. "Now, in just a few minutes I'm going to head out there, do some chit-chatting with the crowd, get them really pumped up. Then I'll introduce you and your competitors."

"Our who?" Robbie wanted to know.

Hugh made a pistol shape with his thumb and pointer finger, and gestured in the direction of two people standing close to the water-and-Oreos table. "Right over there."

The group turned. Their first competitor was a dark-haired girl in a plaid knee-length skirt and a sweater. The other was a caramel-skinned young man wearing a Green Lantern T-shirt and jean shorts.

"Okay, so, one's Rachel Berry, everyone's nemesis from 'Glee,'" Jade said.

"And the second is that guy who owns the comic book store at home," Robbie said.

"However you want to see 'em," Hugh said. He pointed two of his "finger pistols" at the group, clicked his tongue, and headed out to the stage, music playing and lights following his every move.

"He reminds me of someone," Robbie said, watching the little man go. "I just can't think of _who_."

There was no time for Robbie to figure it out, because all too soon the young woman with the headset was shoving them onstage. There were three brightly-lit circles on the stage, and awkwardly the group took up the middle circle, flanked by Rachel Berry and Comic Book Guy.

"All right, let's hear some applause for our brave competitors!" Hugh announced, and the entire soundstage reverberated with cheers and clapping.

More nervousness fizzed through Tori, and she found herself scanning the crowd for Evie, her parents, and Sikowitz and Santiago. Soon enough she found them, Evie sitting with her legs crossed in her wheelchair, Kent and Annie cheering and whistling, Sikowitz waving his Mickey Mouse ears as though to make a statement. The nervousness fizzled out, and Tori smiled.

Hugh was pointing to Rachel Berry. "… and we're so pleased to have her here, from Juilliard's world-renowned arts school, where she's double-majoring in ballet and vocal performance, Jamie McMann!"

"Wow," Beck said.

"Juilliard," Cat said.

"Oh, come on, you guys," Andre said. "You know we're going to beat her."

"And how exactly do _you_ know that?" Tori asked, as Jamie McMann launched into "Memory" from _Cats_.

"_Such_ an ingénue," Jade muttered.

"Well, for two reasons," Andre said, leaning in to the group. "First, we've been taught by Sikowitz, had our skills honed at Sunrise Showdowns and Friday night concerts – we've sung in the rain, we've sung while in those embarrassing food costumes… and if _that_ couldn't stop us, then what have we got to worry about?"

The group nodded as they considered Andre's words.

"And second – we're doing this for Evie," Andre said. "Maybe we didn't come into it with that mind-set, but I think we've all realized that's what it is. This trip… it's for Evie. Let's give her something to remember, something to be proud of."

"Damn," Rex said.

"What?" Andre asked.

"You should'a been a coach, man," Rex said. "I'd go win a game for you. Right now. Any sport."

"I'll keep that in mind," Andre said.

Jamie McMann finished "Memory," and Tori had no idea of the quality of the performance. She was fizzing again – fizzing with excitement, with pride, with happiness.

"For our next act, we're going to shake things up a little bit," Hugh said as the applause for Jamie McMann died down. "Usually we don't feature groups of singers, but today we've decided to make a special exception for these folks! They've come all the way from Los Angeles, California to perform with us! Please give a warm American Idol Experience welcome to Andre Harris, Beck Oliver, Robbie Shapiro, Cat Valentine, Tori Vega, and Jade West!"

Hugh turned to the group and applause rang through the soundstage. Cat waved at Evie.

And then they were singing, so richly and purely that the notes seemed to float out of nowhere, snap into being, and head towards the audience like crystal bubbles, ringing and wholesome and all-of-a-sudden-just _there_.

"_Something has changed within me… something is not the same…_

"_I'm through accepting limits… 'cause someone says they're so…_

"_Too long I've been afraid of… losing love I guess I've lost… Well, if that's love, it comes at much too high a cost… I'd sooner buy… defying gravity!"_

Tori had tears in her eyes, but as she turned to look at her friends, she saw that Cat and Jade and even Andre had tears in their eyes, too.

And she was pretty sure that somewhere in the audience, Evie had tears in her eyes too.

Comic Book Guy sang a passable version of "Summer Nights" from _Grease_, but in the end, there simply was no competition. Hugh had the audience vote, simply because it was procedure, but the audience got to its feet and cheered for the Hollywood Arts students. Jamie McMann looked upset, but she was the only one.

"Come on out here," Hugh said, waving them towards the front of the stage when it was clear they'd won. "Is there anything you'd like to say to the audience?"

For a moment no one moved, and then Jade took the microphone. "Thank you," she said simply. "There's so much to our story that we'd like to share, but most of it's irrelevant. So let's just say that we're so flattered… and we owe it all to my sister, Evie, who I think it's safe to say has made all of us better people, even if she steals my makeup sometimes."

The audience laughed, and Jade handed the microphone back to Hugh.

Applause swallowed them up, and then Evie was moving towards them, pushing the wheelchair that was loaded down with her machines. She made it onto the stage, laughing, with stage lights in her eyes, and flung her arms around Jade, and then around Cat and Tori.

Over the applause it was hard to hear anything else, but Evie kept repeating her message as she held her friends tight: "It's _me_ who is grateful for _you_."


	50. Chapter 49

**A/N:** Here's a silly, fluffy, fun chapter that occurred to me while I was sitting in a behavior management seminar for work. I have a crazy week coming up and I don't know when I'll get to post next, but I hope you enjoy this!

Reviews are love!

* * *

Back at the hotel, Annie dropped off the backpacks in the girls' room. "We'll leave in an hour for dinner," she said.

"Ooh, let's see what's on TV!" Cat said. She flopped down onto the couch and began manipulating buttons on the remote.

"I'm going to call my parents," Tori said, and took her phone and stepped out on the balcony.

"I'm free!" Evie declared as Annie headed for the room she was sharing with Kent.

"Don't go crazy," Annie said, waving a hand over her head.

Evie practically ripped off her ventilator tubing and hurried to silence the alarms. She grabbed her speaking valve and jammed it onto her trach, then unhooked her IV pump from the back of her wheelchair. With that in her hand, she jumped onto the bed she shared with Jade. "Ahh!" she declared, a huge smile on her face as she burrowed into the pillows.

"Amazing how you do that," Jade said.

"What?"

"Get rid of all those wires and tubes."

"I'm an escape artist at heart," Evie said, looking a tad bit smug.

"Ooh! Look at this channel!" Cat exclaimed.

Jade turned to look. "That's CSPAN, Cat."

"They're playing musical chairs!"

"No, I think Congress is calling for a recess."

"Ooh! Do they get to go outside and play?"

"Sure do," Jade said. She caught Evie looking at her. "Admit it, it's easier than telling her what they're _actually_ doing."

"Does anyone really know what they're actually doing?" Evie wanted to know. "I've been an American citizen all my life, I got straight A's in Advanced Placement Government, and I _still_ can't tell you what they're doing on CSPAN."

"It'll just have to remain one of the mysteries of the universe," Jade said. She took a magazine out of her backpack and sat down on the couch next to Cat.

Evie laid back on the bed, wiggling around in the soft pillows. "I love this bed," she declared. "Can we take this bed with us?"

"It won't fit in the RV," Jade said.

"Well, maybe with a little creative packing…"

"And who are we leaving behind?"

"We wouldn't have to leave _anyone_ behind," Evie said. "We would just have to take those far less superior beds out of the back bedroom, and do some contortions with this one. It would totally fit."

"And then we'd all be sleeping in the same bed."

"It's okay, Jade, we were on the road together for several days. I'm pretty sure Cat knows that you snore and we all know Tori hums in her sleep and I think it's adorable that Cat giggles."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat asked, turning around angrily, her focus on CSPAN broken.

"It means that you're just as lovely and giggly in your dreams as you are in real life," Evie replied, still staring at the ceiling.

"Oh," Cat said. "Well, I guess that's okay."

Tori opened the sliding door and reappeared. "Everything's fine at home," she reported. "My parents went over to get your family's mail, Jade, and they apparently scared away a young man who was playing an accordion in front of your house."

Evie snorted.

"Oh, shut up," Jade said.

"I think it's cute," Evie said.

"I am going to _kill_ Andy Gillman."

"I don't think you'll get a chance," Tori said.

"What? Why?"

"Well, the next day the cops pulled up in front of his house and took him away, and they haven't seen him since."

"And they say America's police aren't doing their job," Jade commented with satisfaction.

"What about at my house?" Cat wanted to know.

"They haven't been to your house," Tori replied.

"What? Why not? What about _my_ mail?"

"Um, I assume your parents are still getting it," Tori said. "Because, you know, they're still _at home_."

"Well, as long as somebody's getting it."

"Are you watching CSPAN?"

"They're playing recess!" Cat replied delightedly.

"Don't ask," Jade and Evie said at the same time.

A phone started ringing. Since she was still holding hers, Tori looked down at it. "It's not mine," she said.

"Mine's on silent," Jade said.

"I left mine in the bathroom," Cat said.

"I think it's Evie's," Tori said.

Evie sat up, shoving her hair out of her face. "It is! Where is it?"

She rummaged around in the IV pump carrying bag, and fished out her red cell phone.

"Who is it?" Jade asked.

"I don't know," Evie replied. "It says 'unlisted.' Maybe it's Andy Gillman."

"Don't you even _joke_ about that," Jade said fiercely.

Evie hit the "talk" button. "Hello?"

A pause.

"You're… _oh my gosh!"_ she squealed.

"What? What is it?" Tori asked.

Evie put her hand over the phone, and whisper-squealed, "It's _Evanna!"_

"How did she get your cell phone number?" Cat wanted to know, eyes sparkling.

"_So_ not the point, Cat," Tori said.

"Girls?" Annie's voice carried from the adjoining room. "Whose phone was that?"

"It was Evie's!" Jade called back.

"Who is it?"

"It's Evie's new best friend!"

"How did Andy Gillman get her number?" Annie asked, sounding a little distracted.

"_Mom!"_ Evie protested.

"Not her _old _best friend - it's Luna Lovegood, Mom," Jade said.

"Oh! Ask if her she wants to go to dinner!"

"Mom, I'm sure Evanna Lynch doesn't want to go to… what's that? Oh, you heard my mom? Yeah? Oh, you want to come to dinner?"

"See?" Annie said triumphantly from the other room. "Tell her we're leaving in an hour. We can pick her up…"

Her voice trailed off. "No, Kent, it's not Andy Gillman. No, Kent, Andy Gillman doesn't have the girls' phone numbers… why would you say something like that?"

"Sorry," Evie said into the phone. "My parents are nuts."

A pause.

"Yes, I agree that all parents are nuts."

"Does she want to go?" Annie's voice got louder.

"Hang on," Evie said into the phone, and then she called, "Yes, Mom, she _does_ want to go!"

"Evie, calm down," Jade said.

"Shut up, Jadey."

"I just meant that your face is all red," Jade said. "Do you want your vent back on?"

"No I do not," Evie replied. "I sound like Darth Vader on that thing."

She turned back to her phone conversation. Jade rolled her eyes, put her magazine down, and crossed the room to Evie's wheelchair. With practiced moves she turned on the ventilator and watched it cycle through the turn-on sequence. She moved the wheelchair closer to Evie and handed her sister the tubing.

"Hang on, Evanna, my sister's being a pain in the…"

"Don't you dare," Jade said.

"Fine." Evie took the circuit and attached it to her trach. "Oh, yeah, that is better."

"'I'm sorry, Jade, you're a wonderful sister,'" Jade said.

"I'm sorry, Jade, you're a wonderful sister," Evie said, and giggled. "I'm going to go in the bathroom so I can talk without five other people trying to tell me what to say," she said into the phone.

She sat down in her wheelchair and scooted herself towards the bathroom using her feet. "What? No, go ahead…"

"Wow," Tori said. "Pretty exciting."

"I know!" Cat said. "They're all coming back in!"

Tori turned to look at the redhead. "What?"

Cat pointed to the TV screen, where, sure enough, the Congress members were filing back in. "See, they're all coming back from recess! That guy's all sweaty – I bet he was on the monkey bars."

And Tori laughed and Jade laughed, and Cat laughed because she wasn't sure why everyone was laughing, and that just made Tori and Jade laugh harder, and by the time Evie reappeared from the bathroom with her IV pump beeping loudly, the three girls were crying from laughter, tears running down their faces.

"I work with chimps," Evie said, and rolled herself towards her parents' room to get Annie to flush her central line.


	51. Chapter 50

**A/N: **Happy 50th Chapter, everybody!

Thank you for being so patient with me - I would give you all excuses about what I've been doing, but I know you're all eager to read the chapter, so I'll let you get on with it.

As a usual disclaimer, I don't own Evanna Lynch, I'm just borrowing her for this part of the story.

Reviews are love. :)

* * *

The neighborhood pub-style restaurant was buzzing with activity as the Wests' van and the rental car belonging to Sikowitz and Santiago pulled up in front. The patio was full of diners and drinkers, and at the Mexican restaurant next door, women in brightly-colored skirts and men in cowboy hats were swinging each other round and round on an open dance floor.

"Reminds me of home!" Ms. Santiago said as she got out of the rental Honda.

"It reminds you of Quebec?" Sikowitz asked.

"Well, not _all_ of Quebec. But there are certain parts…"

The group headed for the front door of the restaurant, where they were met by a young server. "Good evening and welcome to Squeaky's!" he said. "How many in your party?"

Annie did a quick head count. "Twelve, in a non-smoking section or the patio, please."

"Sure thing."

"We should have gone to the Olive Bargain," Rex said. "They're having a $9.99 all-you-can-eat pasta special for the next three weeks."

"We can go to the Olive Bargain back in LA," Robbie pointed out.

"But we won't," the puppet said with a sigh. "You don't even like pasta, Rob."

"So take one of your Northridge girls there," Robbie said.

"Does he do this often?" Evanna asked Evie.

"What, talk to the puppet? Yeah, they're pretty much BFFs."

"BF…F?"

"Best friends forever," Evie clarified.

"We are _not_ BFFs," Rex said.

"What'd you do with that charm necklace I gave you?" Robbie asked, looking shocked.

"I wasn't going to wear _that_."

"Why not?"

"It was heart-shaped!"

The back patio at Squeaky's was larger than the front one, decorated with many strands of colored Christmas lights. In the corner a three-man trio consisting of upright bass, drums, and tenor saxophone was producing smooth jazz.

"Well, this is nice," Annie said as she settled into her chair. "I think I'll order a margarita."

"Mar-_gar_-ita!" Sikowitz said, rolling the word off his tongue. "My favorite… frozen… Mexican… beverage!"

"That sounds nice," Ms. Santiago agreed. "Very refreshing."

"If you get all crazy and boozy, can I drive the van back to the hotel?" Jade asked.

"Jade, have you ever known your father and me to get 'crazy and boozy'?" Annie said, adding air quotes to her statement.

"Not yet, but I assume there's a first time for everything."

Kent laughed. "If we get crazy and boozy, Jadey, you might see us kiss," he said.

"Tempting, but…"

"Look at them," Tori said to Cat, nudging the redhead.

"Look at who? Oh, man, that guy playing the saxophone has a _huge_ booger in his nose!" Cat exclaimed.

Tori looked over; surely enough, the saxophonist had a glob of mucus resting pearl-like in his nostril as he provided improvisational cover to "Lady in Blue." But that wasn't what she had been referring to. "No, not that guy… although, to be fair, that is an impressive nose nugget. No, look at Evie and Evanna."

Cat obediently turned her attention to the two girls at the end of the table, the dark-haired and the light-haired, one looking light and fairy-free, and the other wound to the ground by a myriad of wires and tubes. "Ohhh," she said.

Tori smiled.

"What am I looking for?" Cat asked after a beat.

"They're just… they're perfect for each other. They complement each other… and I can only begin to imagine what kind of secrets they're telling each other."

"You're nice, Tori," Cat said.

"Thanks, Cat."

A waiter appeared from inside the restaurant and took drink orders, including a round of margaritas for the "grown-ups" in the group.

After he had gone, Sikowitz turned his attention to Evanna. "So, my dear, they tell me you're an actress."

"Um, yes," the blond said, straightening in her chair.

"How do you feel about method acting?"

"Well, I don't…"

"Or Christmas yodeling?"

"Um, I've never…"

"Allow me to demonstrate!" Sikowitz said broadly, and spread his arms out. Without further discussion, he began to yodel loudly to the tune of "O Christmas Tree."

"Dear, it's Easter time," Ms. Santiago said.

"But that was some brilliant… yodeling, did you call it?" Evanna asked, hurrying to be kind.

"Why, thank you," Sikowitz said, and did a half-bow while seated.

"I've got an idea!" Annie said when the margaritas had been served. "Let's all go around the table and say what our favorite part of the trip has been so far."

"Brilliant," Kent said, having taken a long, _long_ slurp of his margarita. "Oh, cherry. I love cherry."

Annie leaned over and gave him a kiss on the check. "Me too, my love."

"They're so cute," Beck said to Jade.

"They're adorable," Jade said. "Just imagine them in forty years, in the nursing home, when we have to debate on who gets to pull the plug."

"You and I?" Beck asked.

"No, me and…" Jade had been looking fondly at her parents, but she stopped abruptly. "Oh. Oh, shit. Why did I have to think about…"

"What?" Beck wanted to know.

"Evie's not going to be there in forty years," Jade said as Kent started talking about his favorite part of the trip. "Evie's not going to be there. It's going to be me."

The enormity of this hit her like a Mack truck to the sternum. "Shit, Beck, she's not going to be there. I'm going to be there…"

Panic started to wash over her. "I mean, even if she gets the transplant she's not going to live to be forty-five, there's no way to…"

Breathing got more difficult, each breath coming in sharp stabs to her chest.

Beck shifted in his chair and wrapped his arms around Jade. Luckily, the attention was still at the other end of the table, where Kent was adding _elan_ to his story by waving his margarita glass. "Don't think about it now," he said softly.

"Why not?" Jade asked. "I'm going to have to think about it sometime, because it's what's coming. Someday, Evie is going to…"

"_Jade_," Beck said, a little more firmly. "Don't do it now."

She tried to take a deep breath. "This trip is nice but it's all just window dressing – Evie's going to go home and _die_. Transplant's not a guarantee, nothing is with Evie, I mean look at her, look at everything she's…"

Beck put a hand over her mouth. "Slow down," he said. "Take a deep breath, please."

His hand over her mouth was warm and heavy, and it brought Jade back to herself. Sikowitz was talking now, looking dapper in his Mickey Mouse ears, waving his lime green margarita around. Evie was raptly staring at him, a smile on her face. Evanna looked amused, too. Robbie and Rex were having an argument. Cat was staring at the trio of musicians, and every few seconds she laughed and looked over at Tori for reasons that Jade couldn't decipher.

"Better?" Beck asked.

Mutely, Jade nodded.

"Now, listen to me," he said, removing his hand from her mouth. He took her hand and clasped it tightly. "Evie is the strongest, smartest, most kick-ass person I've ever met, bar a few. One sitting right next to me, if you'd like to know."

Jade smiled wanly, worry still thronging through her.

"So she's got machinery – she's always had machinery, Jade. It's just gotten more attached to her, shall we say? And she takes it on a few more field trips than she'd like." Beck squeezed her hand. "This trip is not Evie's last hurrah, Jade. This trip is a pre-reward for surviving whatever hell a lung transplant is going to be, and I only say 'hell' because I am under the impression that having your entire body cracked open and having two of your major organs removed and replaced with new ones is not necessarily going to be a magical, unicorn-filled journey."

Sikowitz turned to Ms. Santiago and gave her a big kiss on her cheek.

"And when Evie kicks that transplant's ass, we'll go on another trip. Where's somewhere we haven't been able to take Evie, because she's sick?" Beck asked.

Jade thought about it. "A wood-working factory?"

"Don't get smart with me," Beck said. "Come on – where's someplace we couldn't take Evie?"

"Well, she's always wanted to visit her Internet friend Amelia, but they've never met because they both have CF, and there's that restriction on visiting each other because of all the lung bugs they have."

"Good start," Beck said. "So we'll take her to see Amelia. Where's Amelia live?"

"Maine," Jade said.

"Fine. We'll go to Maine. I hear they have great lobster. And boats."

"Great, two things I love," Jade said.

Beck squeezed her hand again. "In forty years, whether Evie is here or not, you _will_ make the best possible decisions about anything – your parents or anything else. You will have people around you to support you and to prop you up, and whatever you do, Evie will still be with you."

"Yeah, she doesn't give up easily, does she?"

"Exactly."

"Jade?" Annie said from the far end of the table. "Jade, it's your turn."

Jade squeezed Beck's hand. "I don't think the best part's happened yet, Mom," she said. "I think, to be fair, the best is yet to come."

Her parents' slightly-boozy smiles and Sikowitz's salute with his margarita glass made the deepening evening a little brighter, and Evie's beaming face made the specter of death all but disappear.

"Hear, hear," Sikowitz said.

And they all drank to that.


	52. Chapter 51

**A/N**: I am so sorry that I've made you wait so long for this chapter. I've been really sick and caught up with work. Remember, reviews are love. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - you're awesome!

* * *

The dinner crowd at Squeaky's swelled throughout the evening, and when the group had finished their meal, there was already another series of tourists ready to take their place.

"Let's do something _fun!"_ Cat said, breaking into widespread jazz hands as they headed towards the parking lot.

"Could you be a little more specific?" Beck asked.

"Something _really_ fun," Cat answered, and jazz-handed again.

"Well, says here there's a dueling piano bar at the boardwalk near our hotel," Annie said, still buried in her guide map.

"Oh, we should totally go!" Tori said. "Andre could show up anybody else!"

"I bet they probably _provide_ the pianists," Jade said. "It's not like you can just walk in and sit down."

"Well, maybe _you_ can't," Evie said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jade wanted to know.

Evie pointed to the Grant a Dream button on her shirt. "So far they've pretty much been giving us whatever we ask for," she said, indicating the Disney pins on her backpack and the bubbly blond presence of Evanna, bobbing behind Evie's wheelchair like a leaf caught in a boat's wake. "Who's to say we couldn't just go in and… _suggest_ that Andre play?"

"As long as he shares the prize money," Jade said.

"There's no prize money," Beck said.

"How do you know?"

"I'm just saying, there probably isn't…"

"If you beat the professional dueling pianist, I'll give you ten bucks," Robbie said.

"Where are you gonna get ten bucks?" Rex demanded.

"Bat mitzvah money?" Cat asked.

"First of all," Robbie said, clearly exasperated, "it was a _bar_ mitzvah, because I'm a _boy."_

"And second of all, he spent the rest of it on male makeup and tight hoochie pants," Tori said.

"What?" Evanna asked.

"Don't ask," the kids said as one.

"Fair enough," she said.

"Dueling pianos it is," Kent said, and herded them back towards the van.

* * *

"This place is classy," Cat said as they strolled towards the Boardwalk. "I should have changed."

"Into what?" Robbie asked.

"Somebody classier," Rex cracked.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Cat demanded.

"Rex, stop it," Robbie said.

"Easy for you to say, girl pants," Rex said.

"_Rex!"_

"Girl pants can be perfect for some body types," Evanna said helpfully.

"Yeah, _girl_ ones," Jade muttered.

"They weren't _girl_ pants," Robbie said.

"Those ones you were wearing at school were," Cat said. "Remember? From when I was taking my costuming class?"

"Yes, a sad quarter if there ever was one," Jade said.

"Don't be vicious," Beck said.

"I'm not…"

"And you liked that costume I made for you," Cat said.

"Cat made you a costume?" Tori asked.

"Cat!" Jade said. "You said you'd never…"

"We're here!" Annie interrupted, pointing to the open double doors to the dueling piano bar. There was a Disney staff member at the door, standing behind a podium. Honkytonk piano music spilled out onto the boardwalk.

"You can't bring those kids in here," the host said.

"What? Why not?" Annie looked back at the kids. "Is it the oxygen? We just can't sit in the smoking section."

"It's not the oxygen," the host said. "Besides, there's no smoking on the Boardwalk."

"Is it not accessible? We could leave the wheelchair…"

"Ma'am," the host interrupted, smiling kindly but firmly, "it's not the wheelchair. We here at Jellyrolls are accessible for guests with physical disabilities. It is because these children clearly appear to be younger than 21, and that is the age requirement for entering a nightclub-type establishment."

"Oh, it's the German Pavilion paradox," Andre said. "We get it."

"We do?" Cat asked.

"_Some_ of us get it," Robbie said.

"It's just that we've come all the way from Los Angeles," Kent said, leaning on the podium.

"You came from Los Angeles simply to be entertained here at Jellyrolls?" the host asked. "Because I'm sure there are other piano bars in Los Angeles that would have sufficed."

"Let's just say we were in the area, _Chris_," Kent said, reading from the host's name badge. "And we don't intend to be here again anytime soon."

"Is it the service?" the host asked seriously.

"Up until now, no," Kent said.

At that moment Sikowitz and Santiago approached from the other end of the boardwalk. "What's the hold up, my good men and women?" Sikowitz wanted to know. "Is the doorman demanding a _teep?"_

"It's pronounced 'tip,' sweetie," Santiago said.

"Not the way I say it," Sikowitz said. "_Teep._ Now the ladies try it…"

Obligingly – for they knew the drill – Tori, Jade, Cat, and Evie repeated, "_Teep."_

"And the gentlemen," Sikowitz said.

"_Teep_," Robbie, Beck, and Andre said.

"And all my students together!" Sikowitz said, and conducted the air with a wave of his hand.

"_Teep_," the Hollywood Arts kids said.

"And now, young man behind the host's podium, join on in – let's try it again," Sikowitz said. "Ready?"

"_Teep_," everyone in front of the doors said together, even Chris the host.

"Excellent," Sikowitz said, and took a step closer to the podium. "Now, listen here, my good fellow, I am willing to give you quite a large _teep_ if you will only let us into your fine establishment."

"It's not really _my…_" the host started.

"As you can see, I am obviously an extremely wealthy and eccentric millionaire from the far-off land of Los Angeles," Sikowitz went on.

"Are you sure?" the host asked.

"My good man, who better to know than myself?"

"Well, I'd love to let you in," Chris the host said, "but as I just explained to this woman, I can't let the kids into the nightclub because they're _not 21."_

"Hmm," Sikowitz said, and tapped his chin. It was quiet for a moment. Then he turned to the group. "Does anyone here have upon their person a pen with indelible ink?"

"I do," Annie said, and quickly unzipped the backpack on Kent's back. She rummaged around for a moment and came up with a black Sharpie marker.

"Capital!" Sikowitz exclaimed. "Now, my good man," he said to Chris, "I will draw a stamp on these children's hands that will prevent your waitstaff from serving them alcoholic beverages."

Obviously seized with the idea, he wasted no time in grabbing Beck's left hand.

"What kind of thing would you draw that would…?" Chris fumbled, obviously lost.

Sikowitz held up Beck's hand, where he had written "I am under the age of 21. Kindly do not serve me alcohol."

"Oh," Chris said. "Well, that'll do it."

For the first time he saw Evie's button. "Oh, you're from Grant a Dream?"

"Didn't we say that?" Kent asked.

"I don't think we mentioned it," Annie said. "But yes, we are."

"Well, don't tell anyone," Chris said, leaning forward over his podium, "but I usually just let those folks do whatever they'd like."

"You mean we could have been saved _this?"_ Jade asked, holding up her hand, which bore the legend: "Alcohol would only make me bitterer. Please do not give me any."

Tori laughed. "That's perfect. Sikowitz is brilliant."

"Go on in," Chris said.

"Thank you," Kent said, clapping him on the back.

"Wait," Chris said, grabbing Andre by the shoulder. "That guy's not really a millionaire, is he?"

Andre laughed. "No, he's a high school teacher. They just gave him a one-cup coffee maker for ten years of not-incredibly-distinguished service."

"Oh."

Inside Jellyrolls the light was low. On the stage two grand pianos sat facing each other. The spotlight was focused on the pianos, but at the moment the stage, and the large dance floor in front of it, was empty.

"Wow," Andre said.

"I wish they had something like this in LA," Tori said. "We'd probably be there all the time."

"I heard Karaoke Dokie is closing down," Cat said. "Maybe they'd put a piano bar there."

"That'd be awesome," Andre said.

"I want to dance," Evie declared.

"Kinda hard to do that without any music," Cat said.

"There'll be music," a passing waitress said. "At least, I think so. I mean, we're supposed to start in ten minutes, but only one of our piano players is here."

She looked over at the big man behind the bar, and barked, "Steve! Where's Dillon?"

"I thought he called in sick," the bartender said.

"Oh," the waitress said.

"Do you need a second piano player?" Andre asked hopefully.

"I don't claim to be an expert on the musical stuff, but I could put you in touch with the man to answer that question," the waitress said. She touched the radio unit at her belt, and turned away to say, "Ray, could you come up front?"

She smiled. "He'll be right here. Can I get you some beverages while we wait?"

"Sprites all around," Kent said cheerfully. "Let's sit down, gang."

Five minutes later a man in a poorly-fitting suit appeared. "Rita, what's going on? Where's Dillon?"

"Well, Steve said he called in sick," Rita the waitress said as she placed a Sprite in front of Tori. "But this young man said he could fill in."

The suited man looked at Andre. "You're a piano player?"

"He's the _best_," Cat said.

"Yes, sir," Andre said.

"Hmm," the suited man said. "Guess we've got nothing to use. Come with me."

Cat squealed and clapped her hands. Tori gave Andre a hug. "Knock 'em dead."

"You know it," Andre said.

The club filled up and voices grew in pitch. Excitement was clearly in the air – these people were clearly at Jellyrolls to have a great time.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice boomed over the PA system, "Walt Disney World Resorts and the Disney Boardwalk, in conjunction with the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, would like to welcome you to _Jellyrolls_ – the premier piano bar in downtown Orlando!"

Everyone clapped.

"He's six-foot-six, as white as skim milk, and his favorite book is anything by Douglas Adams. He's from somewhere in Iowa and he certainly ate his Wheaties this morning – give a big Jellyrolls welcome to _Simon Sterling!"_

More applause, getting louder and more raucous. Someone in the audience cat-called as a tall, skinny guy with a mop of brown curls appeared on the stage. He was wearing black shorts and a shiny shirt, with thick glasses propped on his nose.

"He looks like Robbie," Beck observed.

Simon Sterling bowed and waved to the crowd, and then took his seat at one of the pianos. He cracked his knuckles, stretched his fingers, and did a few "warm-up" calisthenics at the bench.

"And filling in for that no-good Dillon Auerbach this evening – a fresh new face from the other side of the country! He's five-foot-something, the milk chocolate to Simon's skim milk, and he says he enjoys eating pineapple and taking long walks on the beach. He's from Hollywood Arts High School in Los Angeles and no, that's _not_ a typo – give it up for our challenger, _Andre Harris!"_

The club was filled with applause. Tori and Cat cat-called for Andre, and Beck cheered loudly.

Andre came out, looking a little stunned by the stage lights, but he quickly adjusted and found his way over to the other piano.

"And now, without further ado, your emcee for this evening – he's almost that age where men stop wanting to tell women their age, he enjoys fly fishing and backgammon games, he's lived his entire life right here in sunny Orlando Florida and if the sun doesn't kill him his wife Janice certainly will …"

There was a flash of light and a _poof_ of smoke, and when the smoke cleared, a diminutive man in what looked like a ringleader's costume was standing between the pianos. "… I'm Howie Zinger!"

"Okay, that has to be a stage name," Jade said.

"Who cares? He's charming," Evanna said.

Howie bowed and took in the applause, then turned to the pianists. "All right, fellas, let's give these folks a good show. Andre, we work from the Great American Songbook, but if you get frisky and decide to move into some composers from the Homeland, I'm sure Simon would be more than happy to keep up."

Simon grinned and bobbed in the spotlight, his glasses glinting wildly.

"Um, okay," Andre said, and he thought for a moment before starting to play.

"Ah, an excellent choice!" Howie Zinger cried. "'Puttin' on the Ritz'! And we're off!"

It was hard to describe the exact method of a dueling piano competition, but at Jellyrolls it seemed to go a little bit like this – the pianists went back and forth, playing recognizable melody lines from musical standards. Each time they swapped melodies Howie Zinger would yell out the song title – if he knew it – and the crowd would applaud.

Eventually the audience got bold and started yelling out song requests, and it was here that it became obvious that Andre would outplay Simon. For one thing, Simon looked like he'd been homeschooled – "It's not an insult," Jade said. "Plenty of perfectly normal weirdos are homeschooled" – and had never heard any popular radio. Andre, on the other hand, tended to stay on the cutting edge of music, surrounded by it as he was at Hollywood Arts. That meant he had a wider repertoire of songs at his disposal, and it was funny how "Fly Me to the Moon" could segue so neatly and quickly into "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."

The music got faster and faster as the pianists bobbed and wove at their seats, and the crowd cheered and hollered.

"This is wonderful," Evanna whispered to Evie.

"I agree," Evie said.

"Your friend is quite talented."

"They're all talented," Evie said.

"Oh, no, I can see that," Evanna said. "But he's… he's wonderful."

"He sure is," Evie said, grinning, as Andre took "The Sound of Music" and turned it into "Sk8er Boi."

At last Andre stumped Simon, and played "We Are the Champions" to seal his victory. Howie Zinger mopped his forehead with an immense red handkerchief, and intoned into his microphone, "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the West Coast kicks your ass."

And everyone in Jellyrolls cheered, and Andre stood up triumphantly, and his friends clapped and cheered and laughed, and the evening was full of music and light, and it didn't matter that in the morning they would have to pack up and leave the halo of perfection that surrounded Orlando. All that mattered was that they _were_, now, with the magic captured in cold glasses of Sprite and in the raucous cheering of a dueling piano bar.

* * *

See that review button? Yeah, you know you _wanna_...


	53. Chapter 52

**A/N: **Enjoy! Reviews are love!

* * *

Sikowitz and Santiago were there to see them off, which somehow made sense. The Hollywood Arts teachers were standing in front of the hotel bearing four Waffle Bouquets. Sikowitz looked particularly proud of himself. "Can you believe they _sell_ such wonderful things? Back where I come from, these things would be illegal!"

"I thought you were from St. Louis," Robbie said.

"And you'd be surprised what's illegal there," Sikowitz said. "Waffle?"

"Sure!"

"Thank you both for coming down here to spend time with us," Annie said to the teachers. "You made this trip so much more memorable."

"It was our pleasure," Santiago said.

"We'll see you back in LA," Kent said.

"Unless we decide to stay," Sikowitz said.

"We've got jobs and lives to get back to, dear," Santiago said.

"I heard they're hiring at Disney World," Sikowitz said.

"Could you really see us _working_ there?"

"Not unless you were there, my sweet."

They attempted to kiss, but the Waffle Bouquets in their hands collided in midair.

"Let me help you," Annie said helpfully, and motioned to Kent. They took the Waffle Bouquets from the teachers, and Sikowitz smooched Santiago gently on the cheek.

"Aww," Robbie said.

"You're adorable, darling, but people are staring," Santiago said to Sikowitz.

"Waffle?" Sikowitz said, breaking from the embrace and offering a waffle to a passerby.

"Mom!" Jade called from the RV door. "Evie says she needs you."

"Well, that's us," Annie said, and gave the Waffle Bouquet back to Santiago.

"I hope your trip is safe and uneventful," Santiago said.

"And full of much laughter," Sikowitz added. "Waffle?"

"We ate at the buffet," Kent said, clapping Sikowitz on the back. "But thanks for looking out for our best interests."

They climbed aboard the RV. Kent swung into the driver's seat, and Annie hurried back to the bedroom to attend to Evie.

Cat was lying on the bed next to Evie, stroking her friend's hair. Evie had her eyes closed, and was breathing quickly, over the ventilator. "Mommy," she said, as the bedroom door swung open. "Mommy…"

"I'm here, my love," Annie said. "What can I do?"

Jade stood in the doorway, looking in over Annie's shoulder. She held onto the doorframe as the RV sputtered to life and pulled away from the curb.

"Just… unh," Evie said.

"You have to be a little more specific," Annie said, giving Evie a wry smile. "Did you do a treatment this morning?"

Evie squirmed a bit, and opened her eyes. At last she said, "No. I was tired."

"Then let's start there," Annie suggested.

Evie pouted.

"I'm sorry, honey," Annie said. "It's how things work. So, Vest and nebulizer, please."

Jade moved from the doorway and jimmied open the small closet, pulling out Evie's Vest. "I'll hang out with you while you do your treatment," she offered.

"Me too," Cat said. "Do you want to play Go Fish?"

"No," Evie said shortly, letting Annie help her into the Vest.

With that, she rolled her head to the window. Annie gave Jade and Cat a sympathetic look as she hooked up the nebulizer. "I'll be back to check on you in a bit," she said.

"Whatever," Evie said.

Annie smiled at Jade and left the small bedroom. Cat slipped off the bed and followed her from the room, patting Jade on the head as she left.

The RV slowed, stopped, and turned right, then accelerated again. It was some time before Evie spoke. "You think I'm a bitch, don't you?"

"I don't think you're a bitch," Jade said.

"You think I was horrible to Mom."

"I don't think you were horrible to Mom."

"Well, what _do_ you think?" Evie snapped.

Jade thought for a moment, listening to pavement whisk away under the RV's wheels. "I think you deal with far too much," she said at last. "And I think that now and then you're entitled to be a bitch. In fact, if it was me, I'd be a bitch most of the time."

"Thank God for small miracles," Evie groused.

"Hey, I didn't _ask_ to have this conversation with you. You started it."

"How juvenile, Jade."

"I think you're upset because we're going home," Jade said, rolling onto her stomach and propping her head up on her hands. "And nothing at home is as magical as anything in Orlando. And nothing at home is certain. We're moving into new territory here. I'd be upset too."

"I don't want to do it," Evie said.

"Do what?"

"I don't want the transplant."

That got Jade's attention. She sat bolt upright. On the opposite bed, Evie's head was still turned to the window. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Evie, without the…"

"Don't even tell me. You think I don't know that? Without the transplant I die. Maybe that's not such a bad thing."

Jade was speechless. She felt as though someone had hammered a line drive to her sternum. "Evie…"

"I just can't do it today, Jade," Evie said softly. "Just… just let me go for right now."

"That's not how it works, Evie," Jade said.

"Isn't it?"

"You're crazy."

Evie rolled her head. The nebulizer compressor stuttered from the momentary change in pressure, then resumed. "I don't want any more of this."

"That's the point," Jade said. "Have the transplant, and there isn't any more of this."

Evie stared long and hard at Jade.

Jade simply stared back.

"Do you think Shakira sounds like Kermit the Frog?" was the next thing to come out of Evie's mouth.

Jade was so astonished, she fell forward, nearly hitting her head on the Vest compressor, which was on the floor between the beds. "_What_ did you just say?"

"I said, Do you think Shakira sounds like Kermit the Frog? When she sings, mostly," Evie said innocently.

"You can't switch subjects like that!" Jade protested. "What happened to being all morose and confused?"

Evie grinned. "I _was_ morose this morning. What you said about going home is true. But I also wanted to see if I could get you to convince me to get the transplant."

"_What?"_ Jade's head was still spinning.

"You told me you weren't sure I should get it," Evie said. "And I figured if I could convince _you_ to convince _me_…"

"What's the matter with you?"

"Well, for starters…" Evie said, and waved her hands at the accumulated machinery surrounding her. And then she laughed, nearly hysterically, coughing and laughing and coughing and laughing, the ventilator and the pulse ox and the nebulizer wailing their various alarms as she vacillated between breathing and giggling.

Annie came rushing back through the door. "What is going on?" she demanded.

Evie kept on laughing and coughing. Jade grabbed the suction catheter from the side table, flicked the suction machine on, yanked off Evie's ventilator attachment, and suctioned out her sister's trach.

It had the immediate effect of stopping both the coughing and the laughing. Evie shoved herself upright and snatched the suction catheter from Jade's hands. The ventilator wailed a different alarm. Evie took a moment to collect herself, then suctioned her trach properly before reattaching the ventilator.

"Very funny," she said to Jade.

"Jade," Annie said.

"Yes, Evie, I _do_ think Shakira sounds like Kermit the Frog," Jade said, giving her mother an innocent smile.

"Jade, you can't suction your sister in anger," Annie said.

"She needed it," Jade said innocently.

"And what's all this business about Shakira? I won't have you insulting your father's favorite Latin temptress. She's _muy caliente_, don't you know."

"I love you, Mom," Evie said.

* * *

Somewhere in Louisiana, the RV kept on rolling. The kids were at the table in the little kitchen, playing Truth or Dare. "Truth," Beck said to Cat.

"Truth," Cat repeated slowly. "I hate peas."

"I think you stole that from a movie," Tori said.

"No, I really hate peas," Cat said.

"Tell me another Truth," Beck said.

"That's not how you play," Cat said, pouting a bit.

"Can I ask a question?" Robbie asked, raising his hand a little.

"Apparently so," Jade said.

"Sure, Robbie," Beck said.

"What's wrong with Ms. Santiago's eye?"

"Which one?" Cat asked innocently.

"The right one," Robbie said.

"The left one's hot," Rex added.

"_Ew_," Andre said to the puppet.

"What can I say? I'm an eye man. And a leg man. And a…"

"It's a prosthetic," Evie interrupted.

"… whatever-they've-got-at-North-Ridge man," Rex finished.

"She lost it to cancer when she was younger," Evie said.

"Has she ever taken it out in class?" Robbie asked, leaning forward in suspense.

"No," Evie said, looking at him oddly. "She's usually too busy teaching."

"Oh."

"If Sikowitz had a glass eye, he'd probably throw it at people," Andre said.

"It's not actually glass," Evie said. "They don't make them out of glass anymore."

"Um, okay, if Sikowitz had a _prosthetic_ eye, he'd probably throw it at people."

"Better."

"Or he'd get two more and juggle," Beck said.

"That's gross," Tori said.

"And when he threw it at people, he could tell them to keep their _eye on the prize!"_ Andre exclaimed.

There was an awkward silence.

"Easy on the puns, Andre," Jade said. "This isn't the opening to 'CSI: Miami.'"

"Some people may say it's corny," Annie said as she walked by, holding a soda, "but I think it's the most realistic of all the 'CSI's."

Evie groaned.

"Oh, Mom, we've talked about this," Jade said.

"And every time we decide that they all have their merits," Annie said.

"Only old people like 'CSI: Miami,'" Evie said.

"Yeah, and it's because they're scoping the place out for their retirement home," Jade added.

"Say whatever you want, but David Caruso is a very good-looking man," Annie said. She handed the soda to Kent. "And there is nothing wrong with appreciating a fine human form."

"Like Shakira?" Evie suggested innocently.

"_Someday we'll find… the Rainbow Connection_," Jade warbled in a perfect Kermit/Shakira blend.

"Hey! Don't you mock Shakira!" Kent said. "She's…"

"_Muy caliente_, Dad, we've heard," Evie said.

"Better her than that Argon guy," Kent said.

"Oh, dear," Annie said.

"Argon, Dad?" Jade asked.

"That beady-eyed guy with the big forehead from your _Lord of the Rings_ films! He was in that movie with Nemo!"

"I think he means _Aragorn_," Beck said quietly.

"How did you figure that out?" Tori asked.

"You know who I'm talking about!" Kent said. "And he is _definitely_ not _muy caliente_."

"Nobody said he _was_, Dad!" Jade said.

"Yahtzee!" Cat exclaimed.

"Cat, we're not playing Yahtzee," Robbie said.

"Yeah, but we _could_ be," Cat said.


	54. Chapter 53

**A/N**: I love all my readers and reviewers! You guys make my day so bright. Thank you for all your reviews and favorites - they make me feel special. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

They stopped for the night at a nondescript motel somewhere in Louisiana. The motel was fairly deserted, and one feature drew the kids' eyes immediately –

"There's a pool!" Cat squealed.

"Oh, we are _so_ going swimming," Robbie said.

"Yeah!" Tori agreed.

While Kent parked the RV and Annie unpacked everything they'd need for the night, the kids scrambled into their bathing suits in the motel rooms' beige and ecru bathrooms.

Annie came to the door connecting the rooms. "Evie, you know you can't…"

"Mom, I've had a central line before," Evie said, her legs crossed as she sat on the motel bed flipping channels. "No swimming."

"Well, I suppose you could look at it that way," Annie said.

"How else can I look at it? Even if we plastic-wrapped it to my chest like we do sometimes, there's still the tube going directly into my lungs."

There was a knock at the door. "Mrs. West, I've found it," Beck called from the hallway.

Jade hurried over to let him in. Her boyfriend was standing there clutching a bright pink pool float. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's not really your color," Jade replied, shrugging, "but you usually do whatever you want."

"That should do," Annie said. "You think you could bear laying on that for a while, Evie-kins?"

Evie smiled at Beck. "You really are a prince among men."

"I won't let anyone splash you," Beck promised, giving her a winsome smile.

"Well, okay," Evie said.

In fifteen minutes the group met on the deck of the indoor pool. There were a few other guests, but they were on the far end of the pool, crowded into the hot tub.

"It's perfect," Tori said. "What a great pool."

Evie waded down the steps. "And the water's great!"

"And there's a deep end!" Andre said, pointing. "Robbie, we can do our famous wacky jump contests!"

"Ooh, I love those!" Cat said.

"Here, Evie, sit down," Beck said, putting the chair-shaped float onto the pool deck. "Then we'll lift you into the water."

He motioned to Andre and Robbie, and they came over. Evie tugged at the top of her purple tank suit. "This is really uncomfortable," she said to Jade, pressing on her speaking valve. "The line wrap makes my chest itch. Ugh."

She sighed and positioned herself on the float. "Okay, I'm ready, I guess."

"On three," Beck said, and he counted. The boys lifted the float carefully off the deck and waded down the steps with it, setting Evie afloat as gently as they could.

"Here's the suction," Tori said, setting down the gray bag at the pool side.

"Thanks," Jade said. "How is it, Evie?"

"Delightful," Evie said, and she dipped her feet in the water. "I feel like a princess."

With a whoop, Andre set off for the deep end. "Robbie! How about a triple-time backwards Pasquale?"

"You know I can't do that one!" Robbie protested. "Last time I pulled my thigh muscle!"

"You're such a baby," Cat said, giggling. "I can do it, Andre!"

And so began the wacky jump contest. Cat kept up with Andre, and Robbie tried his best. Tori egged them on from the sidelines, laughing when Cat and Andre splashed her with their jumps.

Jade and Beck floated with Evie in their sights, making sure the pool float princess didn't drift too far from the suction machine.

"What are you thinking about, Evie?" Jade asked.

"Oh, just stuff," Evie said.

"Anything you'd like to share with the class?" Beck wanted to know.

"Just stuff," Evie repeated. "You know, when I have my new lungs, I won't have to sit on a pool float. I'll be able to go underwater. And do a triple-time backwards Pasquale, whatever that is."

"We'll hold you to that," Beck said.

"Maybe I'll just become a mermaid," Evie said.

"I've heard that's not a career path with a lot of advancement opportunities," Jade said.

"You're such a cynic," Beck said, and gave her a kiss.

Evie trailed her hands over the sides of the float. "Feels good."

"Okay, okay," Robbie said from the side of the pool. "Who's ready to see something really awesome?"

"What's Andre going to do now?" Cat asked, looking up at him with big innocent eyes.

"No, no, it's my secret weapon," Robbie said. "Something I don't think Andre could even _attempt."_

"Robbie, no one cares that you can do the Numa Numa dance," Tori said.

"That guy's hilarious!" Cat said.

"Prepare yourselves," Robbie said, "to be astonished. This is a top-secret jump known only to the Israeli diving team."

"Why'd they tell you about it?" Andre asked.

"I… saved their captain's life," Robbie replied.

"I'm sensing a lot of holes in this story," Tori said.

"Just jump, Robbie!" Jade yelled from across the pool.

Robbie slicked his hands through his wet curls, and then took a deep breath as he threw his arms out into jazz hands, flailing wildly.

"Oh, man," Tori said.

Still jazz handing, Robbie twirled in a circle, bringing his knees up as high as he could. As he spun he chanted loudly, raising his voice to the glass ceiling of the pool. He spun faster and faster and then, with a sideways glance, he leapt, still spinning, into the pool.

"Wow," Andre said.

"Wow," Cat agreed.

"Um, guys? Robbie's not coming up…" Tori said.

She and Andre immediately sucked in deep breaths and dove under the water.

"Nobody's dying on this trip! Watch Evie," Jade said to Beck.

"He doesn't need to _watch_ me!" Evie protested shrilly as Jade swam away.

Andre stuck his head up, gasping for air. "I think he hit his head on the floor!" he wheezed to Jade.

"Robbie, you _goon_," Jade muttered, and she and Andre took in more air and slipped underwater.

Sure enough, there was Robbie, looking as unconscious as he ever did. Tori was struggling to pull him upright.

Jade grabbed Robbie's right arm and Andre grabbed Robbie's left arm and Tori threw her arms around his waist, and together they reached the surface. Robbie bobbed between them.

"How is he?" Beck called from the other side of the pool.

"He's a moron, but I'm pretty sure that was something that happened before he did the Israeli magic dive," Jade said, wiping wet hair out of her face.

"Robbie!" Cat cried, and patted the boy's cheeks as Andre and Jade dragged him into the shallow end.

"I think he's just stunned," Tori said.

"It was a pretty stunning jump," Andre said.

They managed to get Robbie to the steps, and Beck helped Andre prop him up. By that time Robbie's eyelids were flickering. "Hunh," he said faintly.

"Robbie, if you ever try anything like that again, we're just going to let you drown," Jade said.

"Jade!" Cat said.

"I won't try anything like that again," Robbie promised. A bruise was already spreading on his temple, in stark contrast to his pale, damp face.

"Good," Beck said. "That's probably a good life decision."

After a moment Robbie seemed to come back to himself a bit. "I guess the wacky jump competition is over," he said.

"You effectively ended it," Tori agreed.

"Where's Evie?" he asked.

"Where's who… oh, shit!" Jade turned around to see Evie's float bobbing towards the deep end. "Evie!"

"I'm okay!" Evie yelled back. "I'm just fine!"

"I think she's trying to escape," Cat said, giggling.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Come on, superman," she said to Beck. "Let's go rescue the princess."

* * *

After dinner in the motel's café, Annie and Kent went back to their room. "Don't stay up too late," Annie said to the kids. "We've got a full day of driving ahead of us."

"Sure thing, Mom," Jade said, and leaned away from Annie's kiss.

"I'm still your mother," Annie said, grabbed her head, and kissed her firmly.

"You can kiss me," Evie said sweetly.

Annie reached around Evie's tubes and wires and kissed her younger daughter on the cheek. "Good night, my loves."

The kids waited until the West parents had left the café, and then they strolled out into the motel's lobby. A bored-looking man was behind the counter, reading a book.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Andre asked the group in general.

"That kittens would look adorable in pirate costumes?" Cat replied.

"Definitely not thinking that," Andre said.

"Were you thinking 'jam session'?" Robbie asked.

"I sure was," Andre said.

"Didn't you get enough of the star feeling at Disney?" Beck asked.

"Oh, come on, you love performing too," Andre said.

"I've got my guitar and my harmonica in the room," Robbie offered.

"I have my ukulele," Cat said.

"You play the ukulele?" Jade said, a bit astonished.

"Yeah," Cat said, nodding. "My uncle and uncle taught me."

"Oh," Jade said.

"Is that weird?"

"No, it's just never been established."

"And there's a piano over there," Tori said, pointing to the corner of the lobby.

"Perfect!" Andre said. "Go get your guitar."

"And I'll get my ukulele!"

"Sure thing, Little Red."

While Cat and Robbie hurried back to their respective rooms, Jade wheeled Evie over to the piano. Tori pulled some chairs closer to the piano, arranging them in a circle.

Cat returned first, carrying a ukulele case and a bright red backpack. "Here!" she said to Jade, presenting her with the backpack. "Assorted percussion instruments!"

"You travel with assorted percussion instruments?" Tori asked as Jade unzipped the backpack to reveal shaker eggs, rhythm sticks, two tambourines, a tiny xylophone, a small pair of cymbals, a strangely authentic-looking gong, a pair of castanets, two yellow maracas, and a cowbell.

"You never know when a flash mob might break out," Cat said with a shrug. She sat down on one of the chairs and started tuning her ukulele.

"It's an embarrassment of riches," Jade said.

"Can I play the xylophone?" Evie asked.

"Sure," Jade said, pulling it out. "Tori, what strikes your fancy?"

"Oh, I could go for a tambourine," Tori said. "Unless we play something that's not tambourine-friendly."

Robbie reappeared with his guitar and harmonica. "Let's get this going!" he enthused. "Cat, is that your emergency percussion kit?"

"Yeah!" Cat said with a grin.

Aware of the odd looks, Robbie said, "Um, during the last fire drill at school Cat had the kit with her."

"It was the best fire drill ever!" Cat said.

Andre took a seat at the piano and stretched his fingers over the keys. "What should we play first?"

"Ooh, let's play 'The Presidents Rap,'" Cat suggested.

"I've got a better idea," Andre said. "We all know 'Hey Julie,' right?"

"You know we do," Tori said. "We sang it at the last Tuesday Treble-Off."

"It's perfect," Beck said. "Perfect for a variety of emergency percussion, and even the ukulele fits in well too."

"Yay!" Cat cried.

"Even _I_ know that one," Evie said. She took up the little xylophone mallet, propping the xylophone on her lap.

Andre counted softly and played an intro. Robbie came in with his guitar and harmonica; Cat picked up the melody with the ukulele; Evie plinked away at the xylophone; Tori shook the tambourine and tapped it against her hand in rhythm. Jade, who had picked up the maracas, began shaking in a Latin rhythm, while next to her, Beck created a soft backbeat with the shaker egg.

And when the intro was over, their voices joined as one, startling both the night manager and the man at the far end of the lobby refilling the Pepsi machine.

"_Working all day for a mean little man / with a clip-on tie and a rub-on tan / he's got me running 'round the office / like a dog around a track…"_

Under the full Louisiana moon, with the scent of a chlorinated pool wafting towards them, the circle of Hollywood Arts students sang on, to the exclusion of all outsiders. It seemed like a celebration, but then again it could have simply been a good excuse for emergency percussion and harmonica solos.

"_Hours on the phone making pointless calls / I got a desk full of papers that mean nothing at all / sometimes I catch myself staring into space / counting down the hours 'til I get to see your face_…"

The Pepsi refill man swayed to the beat as he packed cans of Pepsi into the machine and the grumpy-looking night manager tapped his foot as he turned a page in his accounting textbook.

And Evie's ventilator breathed for her, and Robbie lost his fingering on the guitar and whacked himself in the face with the harmonica brace as he looked for it. Cat stared off into space dreamily as she strummed her ukulele. Tori perched on the piano bench next to Andre and smiled at him as he played. Beck and Jade got silly with their percussion instruments, competing to see who could play faster but still in time.

It wasn't Disney World, not even close, but it was light and laughter and rhythm, and while it wasn't filled with the same magic as Hogwarts, it had the same effect – bringing seven people and one puppet a little closer together, putting a buffer between them and whatever was waiting for them back in the "real" world.


	55. Chapter 54

**A/N: **Just a short-ish, sweet-ish, sad-ish chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

Jade closed the front door quietly behind her, hoping her parents and Evie wouldn't hear her come in. It had been two weeks since the family had returned from Orlando, and while her dates with Beck were fun, they didn't have the magic of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And though spending time in Beck's RV playing video games against what were probably twelve-year-old girls in Japan was nice, it wasn't a rollercoaster at Hogwarts.

Coming out of her reverie, Jade realized that Evie was still awake and making a lot of noise. From the living room came a series of Evie's usual sounds – the Vest compressor, the nebulizer, the ventilator, the pulse oximeter, and coughing – and one very unusual Evie sound – sobbing.

Jade hurried into the living room. Seemingly oblivious to the beeping alarms surrounding her, Evie sat cross-legged on the couch, strapped into her Vest system, sobbing as hard as Jade had ever seen her. Tears rolled down her pale cheeks and into the hollow beneath her chin, dripping down to her trach ties; each sob seemed to cause her chest to cave in on itself.

Evie was oblivious to Jade's presence; her face was buried in her hands.

Quickly Jade crossed the room and propped Evie up, ripping off the Vest and flicking off the compressor and the nebulizer as she did so. "Easy, easy," Jade murmured, and held Evie. "Shh, shh, it's okay. Tell me what's going on."

Evie looked up at Jade, but her eyes were unseeing and full of unhappiness as she sobbed and coughed. Her face was streaked with tears and snot, and more globby mucus leaked out from around her trach tube every time she breathed.

"Shh, sweetheart," Jade said, adjusting her grip on Evie to hold her sister upright by the elbows. She could feel pressure rising in her chest, and panic welled up around her like iron bands clamped to her ribs. "Please, Evie, tell me what's wrong."

Evie smeared one hand across her face and hiccuped, and then coughed harder. The ventilator whooped a warning and Evie retched.

Jade reached for the suction machine and took out a clean suction catheter. With practiced hands she undid the ventilator tubes from Evie's trach and suctioned out the trach tube. For a moment Evie sobbed noiselessly as mucus slurped down the suction catheter and into the canister.

It was as though the suctioning had calmed Evie down, because when Jade turned the machine off, Evie had grown quieter, her sobs dissipating into little gasps.

"Hi, Jadey," she whimpered softly, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"Hi, Evie-kins," Jade said.

"I'm ready for bed now," Evie said.

"Would you like to tell me what all this was about?" Jade asked as she reset the alarms on the ventilator and the pulse oximeter.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Evie brought up one hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. The silver Patronus bracelet on her wrist glinted in the lamplight.

"Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They went out to the movies," Evie replied. She pulled the collar of her shirt up and wiped the goo from around her trach tube. "I just…"

"You just what?"

"Never mind," Evie said.

"I'm listening," Jade said.

"And that's the problem." Evie sighed. "I'm going to bed. Will you help me up the stairs with all this?"

"No, Evie, _talk_ to me," Jade prodded. "Please just tell me what's wrong."

Evie stared up at her sister. Jade's eyes were serious and dark, and for a moment Evie worried that Jade would start crying herself. Emotions had been running so high in the West house – everyone had been crying more than usual.

"I don't want to talk about it," Evie said. "I _can't_ talk about it. Now, help me upstairs or I'll do it myself."

Jade sighed and did as Evie had asked. Once Evie was settled in her bed, wearing clean pajamas and hooked up to all the right machines, Jade padded down the hall to her own room. She flicked the overhead lights off and sat cross-legged on the bed with her laptop in front of her. With a few clicks she opened up the video chat program and scanned for Beck's user-name. In another click his image was up on the screen.

"What's up? Have you been crying?"

"No," Jade said, even though she felt dangerously close to bursting into tears.

"What's going on?"

He sounded so calm and collected that Jade wished she was back with him in the RV, playing video games and laughing. Everything had seemed so simple only an hour ago. "I came home, and Evie…"

"Is she okay?" Beck asked immediately.

"Yeah, she's fine now," Jade said. "But I got home, and she was… she was sobbing. Like she'd been stabbed, like she lost her best friend, like somebody killed a cat in front of… well, Cat."

"Did she tell you what was wrong?"

"No, she wouldn't say. Just demanded that I help her upstairs so she could go to bed. And it was... it was scary, Beck. She couldn't breathe, she was choking… My parents went to the movies and she was alone here, and what if… what if she had…" Jade buried her head in her hands and bit down hard on her tongue.

"Do you want me to come over?"

That was exactly what Jade wanted, but she couldn't figure out how to say it. "No, that's okay. We have school tomorrow, and…"

"Do you want me to come over?" Beck repeated.

"Yes," Jade whispered.

In twenty minutes Beck was at the Wests' front door, and in another five minutes Jade was sitting next to her boyfriend on the couch, his arms wrapped around her. She was feeling slightly more balanced, but her head was still ringing from Evie's sobs.

"Tell me something," Jade said.

"I once beat Cat's uncle in a poker game," Beck murmured into her hair.

"No, tell me something true."

"That _was_ true."

"About Evie. Tell me something true about Evie."

"Evie is the prettiest, funniest, sweetest West sister."

"_Beck…"_

"Evie is a beautiful, talented girl and she has truly the best of both worlds – parents who adore her and a sister who would do anything for her," Beck said, and kissed Jade on the cheek.

Jade felt her heartbeat slow, and the panicked feeling in her chest lessened a bit.

"And would you like to know something else that's true?"

"Sure," Jade murmured.

"No matter what happens, that sister of Evie's has a guy who's going to stick by _both_ of the West sisters. No matter what."

"You're just saying that," Jade said, but she felt a slow smile cross her face.

"_No matter what_," Beck whispered, and wrapped his arms around her tighter.

They were still sitting that way, so close, their foreheads touching, when Annie and Kent arrived home from the movies, and they were still sitting that way when the grandfather clock in the corner struck midnight.

And as Jade's heartbeat returned to normal, she felt like she could sit there forever, just knowing that someone loved her, knowing that she didn't have to face whatever was coming all by herself.


	56. Chapter 55

**A/N:** I have to confess that I have no idea where I'm going with this. But I hope you enjoy it anyway. :)

* * *

The next day after school, Jade went up the stairs to Evie's room. Evie and Annie had gone to another doctor's appointment, so the house was empty.

Evie's room was uncharacteristically neat; Annie must have been cleaning up before they left. The bed was made up with Evie's comfy green-and-purple blankets and sheets. Next to the bed, the ventilator and humidifier rested on a metal cart, along with the Vest compressor, nebulizer, suction machine, and feeding pump, as well as the myriad of supplies for IV therapy. Across the room Evie's TV and DVD player sat quietly, the TV projecting a blank eye out into the room. The closet doors were closed, and several oxygen tanks stood in a row in front of them. Books were stacked on the nightstand and Evie's Pygmy Puff was perched atop the books.

Jade eased the door closed behind her; it shut with a light _click_.

It was strange feeling, being in Evie's room without Evie. And being in Evie's room without the constant sound of clicking and whirring machinery. Jade briefly considered turning on the ventilator, just to hear the now-familiar sound.

She crossed the room to Evie's desk and pulled open the top drawer. Papers, pens, a tin of Altoids, sticky notes, a bottle of Paper White, two hairbands, six paper clips, a bouncy ball, a Tootsie pop, two calligraphy pens, a Sharpie, and a box of thumbtacks.

The next drawer. A pack of index cards, a box of colored pencils, photos from Cat's birthday party, a box of stationery with Evie's name emblazoned on the front, two crusty bottles of nail polish, an eye pencil, two AA batteries, and a snow globe.

Third drawer. Binder clips, a small sketch pad, more hairbands, a boxed DVD set of "How I Met Your Mother," a roll of masking tape, four rings, a pair of sunglasses, some odd shoelaces, and a My Little Pony figurine.

The drawers in the plastic unit next to the desk were full of medical supplies – G-tube extensions, trach tubes, heparin flushes, 60 ml plastic syringes, gauze, medical tape, cans of formula, suction catheters, and a variety of tubes and wires.

Jade wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she was pretty sure she would know it when she found it. And so far, she hadn't found it. Evie's room was strangely impersonal, strangely clinical.

A quick check of the nightstand brought up similar results. Books, DVDs, a coffee mug full of pens and pencils, and a thick sketchbook. Jade perched on Evie's bed and flipped through the sketchbook.

Jade had always known Evie was a talented artist, but she had never seen Evie's work in such simplicity and brilliance.

The sketchbook was obviously a compilation of sketches Evie had drawn during the Disney trip and afterwards – and they were all gorgeous. Some were done in pencil, others in pen, and still others in colored pencil or crayon. And the sketches showed, in order, some of the trip's best moments.

There was Uncle Randy's barbeque restaurant, with the eyeliner-branded pig on the roof. There was Petunia the pig playing checkers against Robbie, and winning, from the look of it. There were sketches from Epcot, and ton of sketches from the Harry Potter theme park. At some point Evie had even captured each member of the trip's party, focusing intently on every one of them.

_Flip_.

Beck, grinning as he wore the Sorting Hat.

_Flip_.

Cat, screaming on the Tower of Terror, gripping Evie's hand.

_Flip_.

Tori, holding up her Grant a Dream T-shirt.

_Flip_.

Robbie and Rex in their Hogwarts robes, with Robbie trying to get Rex's hat on straight.

_Flip_.

Andre at the piano at Jellyrolls, beaming as his fingers danced across the piano keys.

_Flip_.

Annie and Kent at Squeaky's, Kent with his arm around Annie, the two of them smiling.

_Flip_.

Bubbly blond-haired Evanna in her Spectrespecs and Hogwarts robes, holding up a teacup.

_Flip_.

And there was Jade at Hogwarts, staring up at the visage of Dumbledore.

From downstairs Jade heard a door close. Embarrassed to be caught snooping, she quickly flipped the sketchbook closed and jammed it back into the nightstand drawer. She tugged the quilt back to its smooth perfection, adjusted the tubing on the ventilator, and let herself out of Evie's room.

Annie and Evie were in the hallway. Annie caught sight of Jade. "Will you go get the oxygen tank out of the car?"

"Sure," Jade said, hoping that her face showed no trace of being caught snooping unawares.

"Evie, go in and start a treatment," Annie said, brushing hair back off her face.

Evie groaned, but just started lugging her ventilator and the suction machine towards the living room.

Annie walked into the kitchen. Jade quickly went down the rest of the stairs and hurried into the kitchen behind her mother. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Just another day in paradise," Annie said, putting her purse on the counter. She opened the freezer and stared into it. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Mom, what's going on?" Jade repeated.

"How about pork chops?"

"_Mom_," Jade said.

"Evie, I don't hear that Vest!" Annie hollered into the next room, still staring into the freezer.

There was a pause, and then the Vest compressor snapped on.

"Mom." Jade walked over and closed the freezer.

Annie's face fell immediately, and she crossed the room and sat down at the table. In one strange movement, she slumped down onto herself, and put her head into her hands.

Jade sat down across from her.

"Some days I just wish I could put my life on _pause_," Annie said. "Or that we could go back to Disney World."

Jade stayed quiet.

"And God love them, all the doctors, they want to help Evie just as much as they can. But there are going to be so many hurdles to jump through just to get her healthy enough for transplant… and you understand that I'm not saying anything bad about the transplant, I want her to have it more than I want to keep on living, and I guess that it makes sense that she needs a lot of work before she's ready, because at this point she _is_ ready, she's so sick and…"

Annie looked over at Jade and mimed pulling her hair out. "Sometimes I just feel like yelling _AARRRRRGGGHH!"_

"Like a pissed-off pirate," Jade agreed.

"Pirates got nothing on me," Annie said.

She crossed her legs and looked over at the refrigerator, as though blaming it for all her problems. "Number one on the get-Evie-ready list is to get her to eat more. More food… more calories… more fighting. I'm prepared to do it all while she's sleeping if I have to… thank God for the feeding tube."

"Hey, are you guys talking about me?" Evie asked, sticking her head into the kitchen.

"Did you finish your treatment?"

Evie dragged the ventilator into the kitchen and sat down. "No. I've decided against it for now."

"Evie," Annie said, throwing her hands up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know," Evie said. She curled her hands into claws and made an angry face. "Evie do treatments! Evie eat more food! Evie get whacked four times a day!" she declared in a gruff voice.

"Are you supposed to be Tarzan?" Jade asked mildly.

"Evie, this is serious!" Annie said. "Were you not listening today at the doctor's appointment?"

"No, I was more interested in playing Angry Birds," Evie said.

"Mom, she's just trying to get to you," Jade said, before Annie could get up and strangle her younger daughter. To Evie, she said, "Let's go somewhere."

"Are you taking me out for dinner?" Evie asked.

"Not with that attitude," Jade said. "I was thinking we'd just go for a drive. Maybe to the beach."

"Evie is not going anywhere until she finishes her treatment!" Annie protested.

Jade stood up and put one hand out towards her mother, attempting to pacify her. "We're going to get out of your hair for a while," she said. "I think you would agree at this point that you are upset and not thinking straight, and I would prefer that we not all get in a huge fight. An odd departure, for me, obviously, but I might have become a pacifist lately."

"Fine," Annie said, slumping back down into her seat. "Fine. Go out. Just be back before midnight."

Jade went into the living room and grabbed the suction machine and the oxygen compressor. From the kitchen she got the keys to the van. "Come on."

"Her wheelchair's in the van," Annie said, her voice muffled as her head remained buried in her hands.

Jade opened the back door and ushered Evie out into the garage.

She waited until they were both strapped into their seats and rolling down the driveway before she said, "You are going to kill Mom."

Evie didn't say anything.

Jade forced herself to take a deep breath. She adjusted her sunglasses. "I just mean that she cares a lot, and I don't want her to hold a pillow over your face."

"Jade," Evie said.

"Okay, so Mom wouldn't hold a pillow over your face."

"It wouldn't matter," Evie said. "I have a trach."

"Point taken." Jade signaled for a turn. "We're going to Cat's house."

"Fine."

"Mom knows that you are a good kid, and you're going to do what the doctors tell you," Jade said. "Treatments and eating and all that. But I think she's just extremely stressed out right now, so would it really hurt if you… just did what she asks, when she asks?"

Evie grumbled something.

"And if you want, I can do some of your treatments, so it's not always Mom prodding you to do it," Jade went on.

They drove in silence for a bit.

"Are you ever going to tell me what you were crying about the other night?"

"I would love for you to do some of my treatments," Evie said. "Mom gets a little vicious sometimes with the whacks."

"Evie…" Jade sighed. "I just want you to know that you can always tell me anything."

"I don't like broccoli."

"I already know that."

"I got a text message from Evanna."

"And?"

"She actually likes broccoli. She's a vegetarian, you know."

"Evie."

"Maybe we could just drive in silence," Evie said.

"Fine."

And they did, all the way to Cat's house, where the redhead was sitting on the front porch, eating a Popsicle.

But as Evie yanked herself and her equipment out of the car, Jade couldn't help but wonder exactly what her sister was hiding. It had to be something bigger than a sketchbook full of beautiful pictures…

… and probably a lot uglier, too.


	57. Chapter 56

**A/N:** A new chapter! First, I'd like to state that the quote at the very end of the chapter is from the movie "Extraordinary Miracles."

And now that I've got that out of the way, I'd like to state this: I have a huge problem with authors who demand a certain number of reviews before giving you the next chapter of their story. What a silly system! If no one reviews, are you just going to stop writing? To me it suggests that you're not as committed to the story as you think you are. I don't write for a certain number of reviews - I write because I have a story to tell. Whether you review or not, I'm still going to see this through to the end. Even if it takes me a long time to get a new chapter up, I still know exactly where this story is going, and I'm committed to it (and it's sequel... yes, there's going to be a sequel). I'm committed to it because _I_ love it, not because I'm feeding some sort of need for a certain number of reviews.

To be fair - I _love_ my reviewers and readers! I love everyone who sends me a note or favorites my stories! Sometimes it's just what I need to get through my day. If you _choose_ to review, I'm always happy to read your notes and suggestions! But if you don't choose to review, you might still be emotionally invested in the story, so I'm not going to deny you the satisfaction of being able to read along with the rest of us. I'm grateful you've joined me on this journey.

In the end I'm just a girl with a story.

So, thank you to all my reviewers and readers - even the ones who _don't_ leave a review!

I will _never_ make you "work for it."

Just knowing you're here is worth it to me.

Enjoy! (And my apologies for the rant... it's just been building up inside me.)

* * *

Evie tiptoed to the door and stuck her head out into the hallway. Her parents' door was closed, and though there was still light shining from under Jade's door, she could hear the semi-distant thump of bass that suggested Jade was listening to music.

_Perfect_.

Evie crept back into her room and pulled up Skype on her computer screen. In a few clicks she had opened a window for the one conversation she'd been waiting a week to have.

Evanna's face appeared in the conversation window. "Hiya, Evie."

"Hi, Evanna."

"What's going on?" the blond asked, sipping from a mug of something.

_Probably tea_, Evie thought. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Go for it."

Evie scanned the darkened windows, looking out at the deep LA night. "What time is it there?" she found herself asking.

"Never mind that," Evanna said pleasantly. "It's always nice to talk to friends."

"'Cause it's like midnight here," Evie went on. "It has to be _super_-early where you are."

"Maybe I'm in LA," Evanna said offhandedly, raising the mug for another sip.

"Are you?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"'Cause if you are, it's midnight," Evie rambled. "Like I said. But if you're home, it's like…"

She attempted to calculate the time difference in her head. "It's like…"

"It doesn't matter," Evanna said firmly. "But for future reference, it's seven in the morning."

"Oh. So you were awake anyway."

"Yes. But even if I wasn't, I would still want to talk to you. How have you been doing since you got home? Any news on surgery?"

"No news on surgery," Evie said. "There's still a ways to go before they can even list me. And it's weird being home… everybody keeps crying."

"Even you?"

"Even me. Especially me. Unfortunately me."

"Any reason?" Evanna asked, tilting her head.

Evie flicked her gaze towards the door. Apparently no one was busting in. She could still hear the bass pounding mutedly from Jade's room. "I had a dream," she whispered, leaning closer to the computer screen.

She hoped Evanna had heard her over the _whoosh_ of her ventilator and the _click-whirr_ of her pumps and the _hmmm_ of the oxygen compressor, because each word felt like it weighed forty pounds. Her neck hurt just from speaking them, and she was afraid if she had to say them again, she would choke.

But Evanna had caught it – either through super-hearing or lip-reading. "A dream," she repeated.

"And I don't usually put a lot of faith into things like that," Evie hurried to say. "You know, the _woo-woo_ kind of things."

"But this one stuck with you."

"I'm going to die," Evie blurted out, and then she clapped her hands over her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes and she curled herself into a ball, trying to become as small as she could. For a moment she sobbed soundlessly, bracing her mouth with her hands as though to keep herself from crying out.

"Evie," Evanna said. "Shh, my friend, it is all right."

Evie squeezed her eyes closed and rocked. "I had a dream, and it was so real, and it was so… it was so _painful_. And I can't tell anybody, because they'll think I'm crazy."

More tears spilled out of her eyes and she put her head to her knees.

"Evie," Evanna said. "Hey, Evie, listen."

Her chest hurt and her back hurt and she was starting to breathe over the vent in that panicked, tired way that signaled she would be unable to stop crying. The last thing she wanted was for Jade or her parents to hear her and come storming in. They wouldn't understand.

For a minute Evanna just let Evie cry. From thousands of miles away the blond girl put her hand up to the camera as though she could simply reach through the screen and take hold of her friend's hand.

"Evie," Evanna said when she detected a break in the sobs. "Listen to me."

Evie's head came up slowly.

"You are one of the bravest people I know," Evanna said. "Your strength amazes me. I'm pretty sure that I couldn't face any of the odds you face with such dignity and grace."

Evie smeared tears from her face and wiped her hands on her pajama pants.

"And you're not doing this alone," Evanna went on. "You shouldn't have to suffer alone. I'm so honored that you told _me_, but I can't be there for you right now. Tell your sister. Tell your friends. Tell your parents. Let them know you're scared. I think they're probably scared too."

"They'll think I'm crazy," Evie repeated.

"So what if you're crazy?" Evanna asked. "Some of the sanest people are."

It took Evie a minute to sort out that remark, and then she got it. She hiccupped a giggle and then gave Evanna a sad smile. "I guess that's true."

"I'm living proof," Evanna said sternly. She looked over at something off-screen. "Evie, I'm so sorry, but I have to go. Are you all right?"

"I haven't been all right for several years," Evie said, but she squared her shoulders. "But I feel calmer."

"People say I have that effect," Evanna quipped with a smile. "They're working on bottling it so people can drink it. Apparently it's going to be very big in Japan."

She brought her hand up towards the camera again. "We'll talk again soon, okay?"

Evie extended her hand toward her own camera. "Okay."

And they touched but they didn't, and then Evanna's palm was replaced by the smiling girl herself. "Sleep well, Evie."

And it was odd, but as Evie closed her computer, set it aside, tangled herself up in her wires and tubes and yanked a blanket over the top, to fall asleep to the humming whir that was her life, she thought a special beam of moonlight arced down to touch her Patronus bracelet.

It was ridiculous, and fantastical, but it was just the sort of magic she needed, even if it wasn't real.

"Good night, Evanna," Evie whispered, and flicked the bedside lamp off.

* * *

In the hallway outside Evie's room, Jade stopped holding her breath.

_Evie had a dream that she died!_ At last things were making sense. The sobbing, the utter sadness and despair – it made sense. It would be terrifying. Jade couldn't conceive of it – the dream medical interventions that had no doubt preceded the dream death would have been exquisitely rendered, because Evie had the technical knowledge necessary to fill in such details. And it would have been endless and drawn-out, because the brain was a fickle bastard of an organ.

Jade put one hand to Evie's doorknob and for a moment considered opening the door.

But she had nothing to say.

And there was nothing she could do.

Badass Jade couldn't save Evie from either her dreams or her CF.

Soul soldier sister Jade couldn't bring Evie back from such a negative experience, or erase her fear.

Magic-loving Jade had no special wands or potions or books, no cloak-wearing allies, no Deathly Hallows, absolutely nothing that would prevent Evie from succumbing to her disease in real life or bring her back to life after the fact.

And the oh-so-talented singing-dancing-acting Jade could sing and dance and act all she wanted – none of it would keep Evie alive.

_This must be what being invisible feels like_, Jade thought. _I can see all the problems but they can't see me… I can touch things and talk about things but I can't affect any of them._

It was the kind of feeling that made her want to break things, smash them into tiny pieces and then light the tiny pieces on fire, or to burn down a house just to watch it burn. It was a totally irrational, anger-driven feeling that radiated down from her head to her fingertips. They felt like exposed matches, as if she could draw them simply over sandpaper and ignite them like Roman candles on the Fourth of July.

She could be nice to Tori, answer all of Sikowitz's questions, be a bridesmaid at the wedding of Sikowitz and Santiago, quit picking on Robbie, read to the blind, play dominoes with the elderly, never drink Peppy Cola again, do all of her homework – none of it would matter. None of her decisions, none of her choices would stop the inevitable.

Jade let go of Evie's doorknob and slipped into the bathroom. Once the door was closed behind her, she flicked the light on.

In the mirror she did not recognize herself. Her face was paler than usual and there were dark circles under her eyes. _This is what running out of time feels like_.

She ran the water for no reason other than to listen to the sound, and then turned it off. She reached for a towel and knocked Evie's makeup bag to the floor. Everything inside tumbled out, hitting the floor in a series of plasticky _clacks_.

With a groan Jade knelt to pick up the assorted cosmetics, brushes, and beauty products. And there on the floor, among all of the girly detritus, was a business card.

Mascara and eye-shadow forgotten, Jade pulled the card from amidst the mess.

_Carrie Standish, MD. Adolescent Cystic Fibrosis Research Unit. Lucille Packard Children's Hospital. Palo Alto, CA._

Followed by a phone number and an email address.

It was like a miracle, something from the Heavens beyond, come to Jade while she knelt like a penitent.

In that moment she felt as though she had been washed clean, coming up for air.

And on the back of the card, in Evie's handwriting, was a quote – "Don't just hope for a miracle. Make one."


	58. Chapter 57

**A/N:** A short-ish, sad-ish, sweet-ish chapter. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. Enjoy!

* * *

"Come on, we're going on a road trip," Jade said, slamming Tori's locker as she walked by.

Tori managed to grab her history book before getting her fingers caught in the door. "Hey!"

"No time for history, Vega," Jade said. "We're going to Palo Alto."

"Palo Alto? That's like six hours from here!"

"If we're lucky," Jade said. "Come on, we have to get Cat before she goes into math. Once she opens the math book she's lost for hours."

"Is that why she looks so confused in Sikowitz's class?'

"As opposed to what?"

The bell rang as they reached Cat's locker. "Hey! Hi, you guys!" the redhead squealed. "Math time!"

"Nope, not today," Jade said.

"Did Miss Andrews get stabbed at the stand-up comedy club again?" Cat asked, looking aghast. "That was so _sad_ last time!"

"Wait, Miss Andrews got stabbed?" Tori said, astonished.

"In the _boob!"_ Cat said with glee.

"Cat!"

"What?"

"Focus!"

"I'm just worried about Miss Andrews," Cat said.

"We're going on a road trip," Jade said.

"To Mona Patterson's house? Is she really dead?"

"No. And I think Mona Patterson will be happier if we leave her alone. You know, forever," Tori said.

"We're going to Palo Alto," Jade said.

"I love Palo Alto!" Cat said. "Wait, where's Palo Alto?"

"Six hours away," Tori said.

"Six hours! Yay! We can watch The Slap videos from the improv comedy festival last weekend," Cat said. "Robbie posted them all!"

"You don't even care why we're going?" Jade asked.

Cat shrugged. "Nope."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I love improv comedy… and road trips… but I hate math. Plus, I figure if it's important for the three of us to go, but not important enough for you to tell Beck, it's probably all right."

"How do you know I didn't tell Beck?"

"Because I just saw him going into the gym with Andre for their Brazilian dance class," Cat said. "And if he knew you were planning to skip school, he'd probably be out here trying to talk you out of it."

Jade looked at Tori. Tori shrugged and stared back.

"Can we stop by the Freezy Queen?" Cat asked, smiling brightly.

"Fine. On the way home," Jade said. "Let's go."

In the parking lot they piled into the Wests' van. The front passenger seat was covered with printouts. As she swung into the seat, Tori scooped them up. "You've been doing an awful lot of research," she said to Jade.

"Have to be well-informed," Jade said, starting the van. "Put your seatbelt on, Cat."

"Kay-kay!" Cat said.

"What's all this about?" Tori asked.

"Do you remember that doctor Evie met at Disney World?"

"Vaguely," Tori said. "There was a lot going on."

"Well, it turns out that she's a CF lung transplant expert, and she works in Palo Alto."

"And you couldn't just call her? Or email her?"

"I did. She won't respond. So we're going to drive up there and talk to her."

"And then what? Are we going to hold her at knifepoint until she gives Evie new lungs?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Jade said.

"Yeah! It would be _scissor_-point!" Cat said from the backseat.

"I just want to talk to her," Jade said. "I have a lot of questions about transplant. I want to get her take on it. The hospital website says she's one of the top CF research docs in the country. Driving to the Mayo Clinic seemed a bit extreme, so I thought we'd start in Palo Alto."

"Did you tell Evie you were doing this?" Tori asked.

"No," Jade said, signaling as she got onto the highway. "She would just try to stop me."

She accelerated and merged onto the highway. "Anyway, I have to _do_ something. I can't just sit around and wait for them to find her lungs. We're… we're running out of time. Evie trusts this doctor, and I want to make sure she's putting her faith in the right people."

Cat leaned forward and put a hand on Jade's shoulder. "Did something happen?"

"A lot of things have happened," Jade said, only a touch sarcastically.

"I mean at home," Cat said. "Is Evie sick?"

"No," Jade said shortly. "But she's not getting any healthier."

She sighed. "When I'm at home, all I hear is Evie and my mom fighting about treatments. Or Mom and Dad fighting. Or all three of them yelling. I never thought I would be the quietest, happiest person in the house. And when I'm home, it feels like someone's running a cheese grater over the tops of my feet."

"I did that once!" Cat said. "It felt tickly. And then bloody."

"And I just can't take it anymore," Jade said. "I know they're fighting for all the right reasons, but sometimes it seems like they're yelling because they can't bear to cry anymore. I'm done crying. I'm done wasting energy on things that aren't a cure."

"So we're going to Palo Alto," Tori said.

"Damn straight," Jade said, and she put her sunglasses on.

* * *

No one gave them a second glance as they headed towards the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic. It was just after three o'clock in the afternoon, but the hospital was still full of people. Jade wondered if Lucile Packard Children's Hospital was like Evie's hospital "home" in Los Angeles, Greer Children's Hospital. Both hospitals were squeaky clean, new-ish, and filled with experts in a wide variety of specialties.

But the one thing Lucile Packard had was Carrie Standish, MD. Jade fingered the card in her pocket. _Please don't let me down, Dr. Standish_.

Jade strode up to the check-in desk. "Hello," she said.

The gray-haired woman behind the desk looked up and smiled. "Hello," she said. "How can I help you today?"

"We're here to see Dr. Standish," Jade said.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No," Jade said.

"But we came all the way from Los Angeles," Cat piped in.

"Such a long way," the woman said, looking down at the appointment book in front of her. "Well, I have something in two weeks, for a consultation. Have you filled out your referral forms?"

"I need to see her _today_," Jade said.

Tori stepped forward and put her hands on Jade's shoulders. "If… that would be possible," she said.

The receptionist looked up and took off her reading glasses. She looked strangely sad. "Dr. Standish isn't in today."

"Well, when _will_ she be in?" Jade asked.

"I can't really say," the receptionist said. "Have you tried calling? Or emailing? Dr. Standish is a very busy woman, and…"

"I've called her five times, and sent her twelve emails," Jade interrupted. "My sister is very sick with CF and she needs a lung transplant. She met Dr. Standish at Disney World and Dr. Standish told my sister she could help her. I want to know if Dr. Standish is going to flake out of that promise the way she blows off my calls and emails."

The receptionist gave Jade a small, sad smile. "I understand your frustration."

"I don't think you do," Jade said, leaning forward to read the receptionist's name tag, "_Beverly_. My sister is going to _die_ if she doesn't get a lung transplant. All I want is to talk to Dr. Standish about it. I understand she's _busy_, you know, being one of the top research experts in the country, but since she works _for_ the people, I figured she could talk _to_ the people."

Beverly leaned forward and put her hands on the counter in front of Jade. "Young lady, I understand your frustration," she repeated. "Dr. Standish is like a daughter to me. She's a wonderful woman. She really does care about her patients."

Jade started to speak, but Beverly held up her hand. "Which is why I feel I can tell you this," the receptionist went on. "Dr. Standish's daughter passed away a week and a half ago."

Jade had been prepared for a sarcastic retort, but Beverly's words stopped her. "Her… daughter? Reagan?"

"No," Beverly said. "Her older daughter. Emilie. She had CF."

It was very quiet in the room. Cat reached forward and took Jade's hand, squeezing it tight.

"Oh," Jade said faintly. She felt very far away, very detached from her body. "I'm so… I'm so sorry."

"We all are, dear," Beverly said. "It was a pleasure to watch Emilie grow up."

"How old was she?" Tori asked softly.

"Twenty-five," Beverly answered. "She had a lung transplant here. She was in grad school in Oregon."

For a moment there was just silence in the room, the girls breathing in and out. The light streaming through the windows seemed far too bright.

Then Tori spoke. "I know this is unusual, Beverly, but could we ask you for a favor?"

The receptionist seemed almost near tears; her eyes were shining. "Of course, my dear."

"Could you give us Dr. Standish's address? We'd like to… we'd like to tell her how sorry we are."

Beverly hesitated.

"And I'd like to tell her," Jade said, finding some of her strength again, "how glad I am that, despite all the odds, she decided to keep caring for kids like my sister."

* * *

Dr. Standish and her family lived on a quiet, tree-lined street. The houses were of medium size and they were all very well-kept. Lawns were neatly trimmed, and the landscaping was immaculate. Dr. Standish's house had a red front door and a minivan parked in the driveway.

"Now that we're here, I'm nervous," Jade said, pulling the van to a stop at the curb. "I mean, what if she thinks we're stalkers?"

"But we're _not_ stalkers," Cat pointed out from the backseat.

Jade resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"We're here for the right reasons," Tori said.

"What if she thinks we're horning in on her grief? Who are we to just barge in here and demand that she fix some other kid, when she just lost her own kid?"

"We're the kind of people who drove six hours," Cat said.

"Cat," Tori said.

"I mean, we don't even have anything," Jade said. "We should have gotten a plant or something."

"I think she'd probably rather have condolences than a plant," Tori said. "Like when my grandma died, all my grandpa really wanted was to talk to people about her memory. But people kept bringing him casseroles, or plants, or flowers, or whatever, so they wouldn't have to talk to him. They felt like they had really given him something and all it really did was make him even lonelier."

Jade looked at Tori. "You know, Vega, for someone I don't really like, sometimes you make a lot of sense."

She pulled the keys from the ignition and got out of the van.

The Standishes' doorbell was soft and muted, ringing somewhere inside the house. Jade stood on the stoop waiting, hoping Dr. Standish was home, half-hoping she wouldn't be. Nervousness arced down her spine and she wondered what her opening line would be.

As it turned out, when the door opened and the redheaded doctor looked out at Jade, staring out with eyes hollowed by grief, the first thing out of Jade's mouth was, "I'm Evie's sister. And Evie needs your help."


	59. Chapter 58

**A/N:** In awesome news, I've been nominated for a Topaz Award! It would mean a lot to me if you would vote. Information can be found on the "Victorious" forum.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had a great time writing it. Thank you to all my reviewers and readers who keep reminding me why I love to write, especially this story.

Reviews are love!

* * *

"Evie," Beck said, weaving through the crowd at the Asphalt Café. "Evie!"

Jade's sister sat in shade under the catwalk, a textbook open on the table before her. Her wheelchair was next to the table, holding all of her medical equipment. As Beck walked towards her, Evie looked up. "Hey there, Mr. Good-Looking," she greeted him.

Beck was in no mood. "Have you seen Jade?"

Evie shook her head. "We don't have any classes together."

"Well, how about Cat? Was she in Photography?"

Evie shrugged. "Sorry, I don't know. I didn't get here until third period."

"And Tori?"

"I don't have any classes with Tori either."

Beck sighed, and brushed his hair back from his face.

"Why, what's going on?" Evie asked.

"Well, I went by Ms. Sloan's classroom so I could walk Jade to Sikowitz's, and she never came out."

"Maybe she and Ms. Sloan got in an argument about whether or not the Greek gods were pussies," Evie said. "That happened last week. It was actually a pretty rousing debate, once Jade started using real words."

"No, I went in," Beck said. "And Ms. Sloan said Jade wasn't there."

"So she skipped," Evie said. "Sometimes she's a bad apple."

"Well, that in itself wouldn't be that odd," Beck said, "but I went to Mr. Finnerty's classroom and asked if she was in algebra."

"You've been a busy boy," Evie said, propping her head up on her hand. "Look, I have a lot of reading to get done before AP History, and…"

"And once Finnerty said she'd never been there, I got suspicious. So I went to Sikowitz's. Andre said Cat hadn't been in geometry, and then Robbie mentioned that Tori hadn't been in English, and…"

"Beck," Evie said, sighing. "My life is rapidly coming to an end."

That got Beck out of his reverie. "What?"

"And I'd like the time I have left to be free of whatever the hell this is," Evie went on. "Please just get to the point and let me read my history textbook."

"Feeling a little frisky today, are we?" Beck said.

Evie shrugged and gave him a smile. "It's been a slow week. Thought I'd try something new. I wasn't feeling it. Did you buy my anger?"

"Jade's car is gone from the parking lot," Beck said, completely avoiding Evie's question.

Evie put her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers, _a la_ Mr. Burns from "The Simpsons." She gave Beck a tired smile. "So they've escaped."

"Yeah, but where did they go? And why wouldn't Jade tell me? And…?"

"Lately I've discovered that people are generally going to do whatever the hell they want to," Evie said. "And oftentimes, they're not thinking clearly enough to remember that they're not the only people on the planet."

"Yeah, but…"

"Did you call Jade's cell phone?"

"And Cat's, and Tori's…"

"And I bet you left angry messages."

"I wouldn't call them _angry_, but…"

"So let's try something different." Evie reached into the backpack on the seat next to her and pulled out her phone. With a flick she brought up text messaging. She spoke aloud as she typed: "Dear Jade, I am sure that whatever you are doing is interesting, fulfilling, and completely safe. Please know that while I would prefer that you return unharmed, and before I graduate from college, I understand that you have your own desires, and sometimes a girl just needs to hit the road with her buddies. Stay away from canyons. Yours truly, Evie."

"Stay away from canyons?"

"You've seen _Thelma and Louise_, right?"

"Evie, why won't you take this seriously?"

The bell rang, and Evie sighed as she flipped her history book closed. "Beck, I'm sorry. I understand that you're worried about Jade. But here are the facts – Jade is obviously with Cat and Tori, two people who can be counted on to keep her safe. The odds favor Tori saving Jade's life, but since Cat took that CPR class she might be in the running. Fact number two – there is so much else going on in my life right now, that to know that my sister is somewhere in the sun, with two friends… well, okay, Cat, and whatever Tori is this week… somewhere that's _not_ school… well, then _mazel tov!_ God's smiling on her."

She swung her legs around the side of the bench and stood up, putting her backpack on the wheelchair seat. A little calmer, she tucked some hair behind her ear and adjusted the ventilator attachment on her trach. "We all want to be free, Beck. Should we really worry about Jade if she's figured out how to do it, even if it's only for a day?"

And she walked off, pushing her wheelchair.

It would come back to Beck later, this conversation, and even though he knew that there was nothing he could do to change the series of events, it still would feel like a Band-Aid being ripped off tender skin every time it crossed his mind.

* * *

"I'm sorry," the doctor said as she showed them into her living room. It was a soft, muted sort of room, with furnishings in a series of tans, browns, and dark greens. "I don't see what I can do."

She was pale and nervous-looking, and once they were in the room she seemed to forget about them, sinking into one of the dark brown couches. Her eyes were distant.

"Evie needs a lung transplant," Jade said.

Tori moved to sit beside the doctor. "And it was so kind of you to talk to Evie at Disney World."

"She has her own doctors," Dr. Standish said. "There are very talented doctors down at Greer Children's. Or even at UCLA, if you go that route."

"I want you," Jade said. She was unsure where her strength and courage were coming from, because ever since they'd walked out of the waiting room at the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic her heart had been in her shoes. It was the kind of twist that every B-grade late-night basic-cable TV movie dreamed of – the brilliant doctor whose daughter tragically had the same disease that would kill the protagonist's sister if… but Jade didn't want to think about the "if." Dr. Standish was their hope.

"I just can't…" Dr. Standish said. Her voice trailed off. "Why did you come here?"

This was the time that the protagonist would stand up for herself, give a kick-ass speech, and convince the brilliant doctor to forget her grief to save the sick sister. There would be a swelling orchestral chorus, and a quick cut-away to a surgery montage, followed by pictures of a strong, vibrant Evie eating pie under an American flag, or something similarly patriotic and saccharine.

But this wasn't a movie. Evie wasn't the meekly-dying heroine of those B-grade films. Jade, for all her bluster and showmanship, had never been the type to give a rallying speech. And it was hard to believe that Evie's future could really lie in the hands of a doctor whose living room featured a whole shelf of Hummel figurines.

"I don't know," Jade said. Whatever fight had been in her fell through the floor, and she sat down on the end of the couch.

"I know," Cat said.

Everyone in the room turned to look at her. She was standing in the foyer, leaning against the living room wall, watching the scene with her usual curiosity.

"You do?" Dr. Standish asked.

"Yeah," Cat said.

_This'll be good_, Jade thought.

"We came here to help you cross a bridge," Cat went on.

The doctor looked confused.

"There's a bridge between people," Cat said. "Not a real bridge… well, sometimes it's a real bridge, like when my brother…"

"_Cat_," Tori murmured.

"… but there's a bridge between you and Evie," Cat continued, taking the _sotto voce_ hint. "Maybe not a sturdy one right now, but the connection you made is real. And it will never take the place of the bridge you built with your daughter, but you can't cross that bridge anymore. Except maybe in your dreams. Sometimes I dream about my Nana. Usually she's eating jelly beans."

"Why is she eating jelly beans?" Dr. Standish asked, sounding as though Cat's voice was hypnotic, lulling her into the conversation even though parts of it were clearly ridiculous.

"'Cause that's how she died," Cat said. "She choked on some jelly beans."

Without any prompting she recovered. "But that's not the point. The point is that you can cross the bridge and help Evie, and that might lead you to other bridges. Longer bridges. Maybe bridges you can cross in memory of your daughter. That lady at your office told us about her and she sounds amazing."

"She was," Dr. Standish said, still sounding hypnotized. "She was very special."

"I guess what we came here to ask you," Jade said, taking a cue from Cat, "is that we'd like you to be in charge of Evie's treatment. Everyone on the Internet thinks you're absolutely the best in the business."

"Well, if the Internet says it," Dr. Standish said, and a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"Not just the Internet," Jade said. "I called Mayo. I called Beth Israel and Deaconess and even Mott. And they all said that if they had to choose, it would be you."

"Not Spellman at Mayo?" Dr. Standish asked.

"They said Spellman's a technical whiz," Jade said, "but I want somebody who's going to love Evie for all the right reasons, instead of seeing her as just another surgical case."

Dr. Standish was quiet for a moment, her gaze moving away from the girls and towards a framed picture on one of the bookshelves. Then she was back. "Let me ask you something."

"Anything," Jade said.

"Does your sister know you're here? Specifically, that you're here attempting to get someone new to head up her medical team?"

At this Jade had to smile. "No," she said. "My sister, God willing, still thinks I'm in choir."

A phone beeped, and everyone looked around, trying to figure out where the noise had come from. Finally Cat pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "Well, she knows we're not in choir," she said after a moment. "And she wants us to stay away from canyons."

"It's good advice," Tori said.

"Well, then my sister knows we've escaped," Jade said. "But no. She doesn't know where I am."

"Then how can you be sure that she's open to having a new doctor take over her care?" Dr. Standish asked.

Jade stood up and reached into the pocket of her jeans. She fished something out and held it out to Dr. Standish. "Because we were in Disney weeks ago, and she's still holding onto this."

Dr. Standish reached out, and their fingers touched in midair. Jade tried not to read too much into that simple touch, but as Dr. Standish drew her own business card away from Jade's hand there was a smile on the doctor's face. "And she wasn't using it to hold used chewing gum?"

"Nope," Jade said. "Definitely not. It was in a very special, beautiful place."

Dr. Standish stared down at her own business information, then back up at Jade, who was looking at her expectantly. "Let me do some research," the doctor said, and Jade released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I need to get onboard with your sister's doctors and find out what the plan is. If – and this is a big if – your sister's case can get transferred over to Lucile Packard there will be a ton of paperwork."

Jade started to say something, but Dr. Standish cut her off. "I can't make any promises. I can only look into it. But… but I liked your sister. There was something refreshing about her. Real."

"That sort of devil-may-care attitude?" Tori asked.

"Like she's trying to live so fast that CF can't catch up with her?" Jade added.

"Something like that," Dr. Standish said, and her smile deepened as she looked over at the framed picture on the shelf. "I like to think that for almost twenty-six years I tried to instill that in my daughter… I like to think that the fact that she lived her life on her terms is my very favorite legacy."

"That's all I want for Evie," Jade said.

"It's funny how the things we want when we're young are often the last things we end up needing," Dr. Standish said, and stood up. "Jade, thank you for coming here."

"What? Why?"

"Well, for one thing, it took a lot of courage and perseverance. I would say that ninety-nine people out of a hundred would have gotten to the clinic and, learning of the circumstances, would have gone home."

"Sorry," Jade said.

Dr. Standish shrugged. "But I think the kind of person Evie needs is exactly the kind of person who would grill Beverly for information, and then come hunt me down."

She walked over to the shelf and propped the business card up against the picture. "And for another thing, as hard as it is to admit it, grief is like wearing a blindfold. I've been home since Emilie died and I can't tell you how many times I've decided that I'm never going back to the hospital. That I'm never going to see another patient with CF. That I'm going to take up something boring like orchid-growing, stay in my house, and live out the rest of my life as some sort of hermit.

"I know now that I could never do that. For one, I've always been terrible at gardening. And I think I'd get bored eventually. But even more so – orchids don't _need_ me. People need me. And in some way, I need them."

The doctor walked over to the girls, and she took Jade's hand in hers. "So we'll shake on it," she said, squaring her shoulders. "You fight for Evie, and I'll fight for Evie."

Jade shook the doctor's hand.

"Us too," Tori said.

"Definitely," Cat said.

They walked to the door, and Tori and Cat stepped out onto the porch. Jade prepared to follow them, but then she turned back to the doctor. "We have a saying in our family," she said.

Dr. Standish looked up, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"We say, CF is rough but we are tough," Jade said. "And… this is going to sound ridiculous, but I'd be honored if you wanted that to be your saying too."

The doctor's eyes were shining with tears. "I'd like that," she said.

And then she closed the door behind them, separating them from her grief as neatly as a knife separates two halves of an apple.


	60. Chapter 59

**A/N:** First of all, I would like to announce that "Breathing Room" won 1st Place in the "Best Other" category in the 2012 Topaz Awards! Thank you to everyone who voted! I was completely floored even to be nominated, and to win is just icing. Delicious, wonderful icing.

Thank you, as usual, to all of my readers and reviewers. Reviews are love! Enjoy!

* * *

It was dark when they got home. Jade dropped Tori and Cat off and then drove home very slowly. She was bracing herself for the inevitable yelling.

But the house was quiet. The TV was on in the living room and Kent was sitting before it, eating potato chips out of the bag.

Jade knew her mother wasn't home. Annie never let Kent eat in the living room, and she definitely never let him eat potato chips straight from the bag. "Hi, Dad."

"Hello, darling," Kent said. "Have a nice day?"

"It was all right."

"How was your date?"

For a moment Jade's heart stopped, thinking that her father knew about the trip to Palo Alto. Then she realized that Evie must have spun some somewhat-convincing lies about a last-minute date with Beck to cover for her absence at home. "Um, it was nice."

"Well, that's good," Kent said, and crunched some more chips. "Because Beck called twenty minutes ago to see if you got home."

_Crunch. Crunch_.

"Um, I walked."

"Um, I don't think so," Kent said, mocking her. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere," Jade said.

"Would 'nowhere' be what they're now calling Palo Alto?" Kent asked, completely innocently.

"How did you know?"

"Well, Evie told me."

"How did _she_ know? I didn't tell anyone."

"Jade," Kent said, "just don't disappear again, all right?"

It was a reprieve, and Jade recognized it for what it was. "All right."

She went up the stairs, leaving Kent in front of the TV still crunching away at the potato chips.

Evie's door was open and a soft lamplight shone into the hallway, accompanying the noise of Evie's treatments. The Vest compressor, the nebulizer, the oxygen, and the ventilator formed a poignant symphony with the feeding pump and the IV pumps, doing their work with seemingly no attention to the motionless girl on the bed, who lay very still with her eyes closed.

Jade stood at her sister's door, watching the mechanical symphony. Was this how Dr. Standish's daughter had died? Surrounded by machinery, waiting for an answer that was never going to come? Tied down by tubes and wires?

It was a hell of a way to go.

"Jadey, I know you're standing there," Evie rasped from underneath the machine's symphony.

Jade jumped, having nearly forgotten that Evie was, in fact, in there. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just get in here and tell me where you went today."

"I hear you already _know_ where I went today," Jade said as she pushed the door open and sat down on an unoccupied corner of Evie's bed.

"Yeah, Palo Alto. I traced your text ping-backs," Evie said.

"That's increasingly sneaky."

"Yeah, well, I was bored. So, what's in Palo Alto?"

"It's more of a _who_ is in Palo Alto," Jade said.

"Oh, man, did you guy go see the Mythbusters?" Evie demanded. "I _told_ you I wanted to go!"

"No, we didn't go see the Mythbusters," Jade said. "Why would think…?'

"Because I told you I wanted to go," Evie said.

"Well, I got tickets," Jade said. "But that's not today. It's next week."

"Oh. So, who did you go see?"

"Um, well, someone you may or may not remember…"

"Uncle Stewart?"

"Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"I thought he lived in Palo Alto. And also, you're not being very forthcoming."

"Well, it was Dr. Standish," Jade said.

Evie looked at her for a moment, then shook the nebulizer tubing to dispel some of the rainout. "Who?"

"See, you don't even remember," Jade said. "The doctor we met at Disney."

Evie took a moment to process this information. "Why would you go and see her?"

"Because I want her to be your doctor."

"Jade, you can't just go around asking people if they'll be my doctor," Evie said. "It makes me look needy."

Jade took in the wide expanse of the room, all the machines and tubes and wires. "Evie, you _are_ needy."

"Yeah, but I don't want to _seem_ like it!" Evie protested. After a beat, she said, "So, what did she say?"

"She's going to look into your records and see if she can take you on. You're not the easiest case, you know."

"Gee, thanks. But… she said she'd look into it?"

"Mm-hmm."

"And she thinks…?"

"I'm not sure what she thinks. And it might take her awhile to get onboard, because her daughter just died."

"What? Reagan?" Evie looked shocked.

"No. Her other daughter. The one with CF."

"Oh, man," Evie said.

"That's what I thought," Jade said. "But, it turns out you made an impression on her."

"I try." Evie shifted position undoing the Velcro on the Vest. "I'm done."

She allowed Jade to help her out of the equipment, and disconnected her nebulizer. "And now I'm tired, so the servants must be banished from the bedchamber."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Jade stood up and watched as Evie carefully adjusted her tubing. She was almost to the door when Evie spoke up again.

"Jadey?"

"Yeah, Evie?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"It was reckless and foolish and probably won't amount to anything, but…"

"We could have just stopped at 'thanks.'"

"If I could have, I would have."

* * *

"Tori! Are you coming to the Spring Sensation?" Sikowitz asked as he hurried past in the hallway, carrying a gigantic pile of bright green flyers.

"The what?" Tori asked, trying to get her history book out of her locker.

"The Spring Sensation!" Sikowitz said, and shoved a flyer at her.

He was gone before she could ask any further questions, but it turned out that the flyer was pretty much self-explanatory.

"_Come to Hollywood Arts High School's First Annual Spring Sensation!"_ the flyer trumpeted in a bold font. "_Live Music! Dancing! Bingo! Live Auction! Tantalizing Food and Drink Provided by Some of Hollywood's Best Restaurants!"_

Farther down, it read, "_Featuring Live Performances By: The River City Accordion Band! The Kelly School of Irish Dance! The Hollywood Arts High School Chamber Orchestra! and Leonardo and the Da Vincis!"_

And below that: "_Held at the Asphalt Café, located at Hollywood Arts High School, 7-midnight. Admittance – Children Under 12: $8.00, Students (with ID): $10.00, Adults: $12.50; Seniors: $9.50. Generously sponsored by MacArthur's Grocery, CatNip and Tea Bookstore, Eagen's Music, Tucci's Pizza, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Hollywood, Van Cleef Rubber Products, and the teachers and faculty of Hollywood Arts High School."_

And finally: "_All proceeds go to the medical fund of Evelyn "Evie" West, a Hollywood Arts High School student who needs a double lung transplant due to 15+ years of living with cystic fibrosis (CF)."_

Tori finally caught up with Sikowitz in his classroom, where he was busily attaching as many flyers as possible to the walls. "Sikowitz, did _you_ plan the Spring Sensation?"

"Of course," Sikowitz said broadly.

"And… you're doing it all for Evie?"

The teacher turned, his love beads swaying. "And that's so unusual?"

"It's just… she's not…" Tori was at a loss for words.

"She's not my student," Sikowitz said, "but I think there are bigger distinctions than the relationship between teacher and student. For instance, are we not all family? Are we not all connected?"

Tori had to agree. "Yeah. Yeah, we are."

"So, just because I've never had the pleasure of grading one of Evie's assignments, giving her detention, or beaming with pride at one of her performances, she is still my student. And she is my teacher. It's a very circular, chicken-and-egg type of thing."

"Sikowitz, that's beautiful."

The teacher waved his hand. "Well, I got it from watching Oprah."

"Oprah said that?"

"No. But I _thought_ of it while watching Oprah."


	61. Chapter 60

**A/N:** To show my extreme gratitude at winning 1st place in the "Best Other" category of the 2012 Topaz Awards, here's a super-long chapter for all of my readers and reviewers! Thanks so much! Enjoy!

* * *

"He did _what?"_ Jade demanded.

Beck handed her a green flyer. "He's calling it the Spring Sensation."

Her eyes scanned down the page, taking in all of the things Sikowitz had planned, rage building somewhere behind her eyes.

"You have to hand it to the man, he's persuasive. Look at all those sponsors, and he's even got Bingo! Bingo's _huge_ right now!"

"Is it as big as the huge bruise on his _face_ I'm going to give him?"

"What are you so upset about?" Beck asked, taking a long drink from his coffee cup.

"Why would he _do_ something like this?"

"Because he, like most people, is motivated by positive energy? Because he wants to give back to the universe? Because double lung transplants cost more than college tuition to Harvard for four years?"

"Who the hell wants to go to Harvard?" Jade practically screamed. In her hands the green flyer vibrated.

"You are taking this _way_ too seriously," Beck said. "It's a fundraiser."

"For _Evie!"_

"Can you think of anyone who needs a fundraiser more?"

Jade felt like her head was going to explode. "Why does he…?"

"Slow down," Beck said. "What are you really upset about? Use your words."

"He's just… calling attention to her!" Jade shook the flyer as though she could get information out of it.

Beck set his coffee on the table. "Jade, do you really think there's anyone at Hollywood Arts who doesn't know that your sister is sick?"

The question seemed to derail Jade's anger. Still holding the flyer, she sank down across from Beck.

"People knew she was sick even before the trach and the vent," Beck said. "It's pretty easy to identify somebody with CF, Jade, even if you don't think so. She had oxygen. She coughed a lot."

He pushed a second coffee across the table to Jade. "But here's the thing that I don't think you get – people _know_ Evie is sick, and yet they don't _care_. Yeah, they're worried for her, and they want her to get better, but nobody treats her any different. Well, except for those idiots who started a pool to figure out when she was going to die. But other than that… All of her teachers think she's brilliant, and if a teacher who's never even had in her in class wants to raise money for her, isn't that a testament to Evie's character _rather_ than the fact that she has CF?"

Beck waited for Jade to take a drink of coffee. Then he said, "Please don't punch Sikowitz in the face. He's a good man, and he wants to do a good thing."

Jade finally gave Beck a small smile.

"And it says here that Tucci's Pizza is one of the sponsors," Beck went on. "And you know they have that _great_ cheesy bread."

* * *

"Is there any news from Dr. Standish?" Evie asked as Jade came through the front door after school that day.

"I haven't checked my email or the regular mail today," Jade said. "How was clinic?"

"Clinic sucked," Evie said. She was sitting on the stairs with her head propped up on her hands, her ventilator and oxygen on the step above her. "As usual."

"She lost three pounds!" Annie hollered from the other room.

Jade looked over at Evie. Her sister's face was pale and her lips were cracked, looking glum as she allowed the ventilator to breathe for her. "You lost _three pounds?"_ Jade whispered.

"It's not like I was _trying_," Evie said.

"But you weren't trying very hard to _gain_ weight," Annie said as she appeared from the kitchen. "From now on, you will be on 24-hour feeds."

"_Mom!"_ Evie protested, but her usual feisty fight was gone from her words.

"And we're going to do the full-fat diet like we used to," Annie said. "In fact, I'm going to the store to stock up on butter and whipping cream. Anything you want to tell me about your day, Jade, before I go?"

"Sikowitz is throwing a fundraiser," Jade said, and fished the green flyer out of her pocket.

Annie took it and looked it over. "My goodness," she said, blushing. "This looks like quite a production."

She handed the flyer back to Jade. "Show this to your dad when he gets home," she said. "I'm off to the store. Do you need anything?"

"Toothpaste," Jade said.

"Okay. Evie, any requests? Do you _feel_ like eating anything special?"

"Cupcakes," Evie said.

"If you're serious, I'll go down to Weber's Bakery on the way home," Annie said.

"I could probably eat two," Evie said.

"Then I'll be back soon," Annie said. She gave Evie a kiss on the forehead, and then kissed Jade on the cheek.

As soon as the door closed behind Annie, Evie looked up at Jade. "Go check your email," she prodded. "I want to know if Dr. Standish is in or out."

"Aren't you even interested in what this is?" Jade asked, holding up the flyer.

"No."

"What?"

"Cat texted me. She was very excited about it," Evie said. "Apparently I'm going to be the star of my own fundraiser." She gave Jade a winsome smile. "Will they be giving me a tiara? And a throne?"

"Ask Sikowitz," Jade said. "He aims to please."

She tossed her backpack into the living room. "I'm going to check my email."

Evie's phone beeped as Jade pushed by her, heading upstairs. "Hey, Jade, wait," Evie said as she scrolled through the message.

"What?"

"Listen to this!" Evie sounded breathlessly excited. "It's from Dr. Standish! 'Dear Evie, I know we have only met the one time, but by now your sister must have told you about her mission to bring me onboard your case. After reviewing your records, I have decided that it would be an honor to work on your case. With your parents' permission I would like to admit you to the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic's inpatient unit at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and do a full workup. After that we can talk about the proper time to list you for a lung transplant. Please tell your sister that it was an honor to meet her, and that I firmly believe in the statement she left me with. Yes, CF is rough, but we _are_ tough. Yours truly, Dr. Carrie Standish.'"

Evie squealed with excitement and threw her arms into the air, cheering wildly. The ventilator, thinking she had stopped breathing, blared an alarm.

It sounded more like someone was trying to steal a car than a joyous celebration of the possibility of new life, but Jade thought she'd take it over disappointment any day.

* * *

"So, it's one last hurrah for Evie before she gets transferred to the new hospital?" Andre asked, filling his glass with pink lemonade from a shiny silver drink fountain.

"Mm-hmm," Jade said, considering the beverage fountains. "She's headed to Palo Alto tomorrow to get checked in for the workup."

"Is she scared?"

"I can't tell," Jade said, finally having decided on fruit punch. "Sometimes it feels like she is, but we don't really talk about it."

She filled her cup. "Mom and Dad are, of course, over the moon. Somebody as well-regarded as Dr. Standish doesn't volunteer to take on a case just willy-nilly."

"Naw, it had more to do with you," Andre said. "Cheers."

They clinked plastic glasses, and then drank deeply.

"Hey, I've got to run," Andre said. "I'm playing backup for Leonardo and the da Vincis, and they're up next."

He hurried off across the parking lot.

Jade looked out across the crowded Asphalt Café. She had to hand it to Sikowitz, the man knew how to throw a party. The café had been transformed into a festive, floral showpiece, with flowering arches, potted topiary, and trailing vines. Flowers were everywhere, anchored to every possible surface with colorful ribbons or garlands of balloons.

And, of course, there _was_ a throne for Evie – well, a comfortable padded chair, anyway, set up on the dais where the bands played, the Irish dancers did their fast footwork, and the Bingo caller was set to yell out those winning combinations of letters and numbers. Evie had a huge smile on her face as she watched the party. There was almost a waiting line of people coming to talk to her, and Jade hadn't seen the smile leave her face all evening.

"It's pretty great, huh?" Cat asked, bounding up to Jade. The redhead wore a poufy pink dress with a matching headband. "Everybody's so happy, and the food is so good, and Evie's going to see Dr. Standish tomorrow. Everything's working out! And you didn't have to be so mad at Sikowitz after all!"

"I was never _mad_ at Sikowitz," Jade protested.

"Beck said you were going to punch him. In the face."

"Out of… yeah, okay, I was mad at Sikowitz."

"Sikowitz is just like everybody else," Cat said.

Jade looked over at their teacher, who was standing next to the fruit sculptures, talking with a young woman in a chef's uniform. As usual, Sikowitz's apparel could be described as "eccentric," and featured a pair of striped trousers, a flowing shirt, and several clacking strands of love beads. Ms. Santiago stood next to him, admiring a pineapple dinosaur. "I think Sikowitz is pretty unusual," she said to Cat.

"Well, he dresses funny," Cat admitted. "But I meant he's just like everybody else at school. He loves Evie!"

"And I wanted to punch him out of love," Jade said.

"You wanted to punch him because you can't stand to see anyone pity Evie," Cat said.

It was a remarkably prescient thing to come out of the redhead's mouth, and for a moment Jade just considered her words.

"One time, my brother punched someone because he was dressed up like Jesus," Cat went on. "But my brother doesn't really love anyone. Except for maybe Mark Harmon."

And sometimes it was best not to spend a lot of time thinking about Cat's thought processes.

"He loves Mark Harmon." Cat grinned at Jade.

"I'm going to go sit by Evie," Jade said.

"Good idea!" Cat said. "I'm going to go eat that pineapple dinosaur."

Jade pushed her way through the crowds of people lining up to see Leonardo and the da Vincis, and perched on the armrest of Evie's chair. Her sister was looking tired, but the smile still hadn't faded from her face. Jade noticed that the ventilator was doing most of the breathing work, and there was a plate of nearly-untouched food on the little table next to her. "Hey."

"Hey," Evie replied, turning her smile towards Jade. "Isn't this wonderful?"

"It's pretty spectacular," Jade had to agree.

"Everything's so fancy, and the music is awesome and the dancers were awesome and the food's not half bad and tomorrow I'm going to meet Dr. Standish for real," Evie said. "I'm almost as excited as I was before we left for Disney World."

"I'm glad you're happy," Jade said sincerely.

"Thank you so much, Jade," Evie said.

That surprised Jade. "For what?"

"For going all the way to Palo Alto to plead my case to a complete stranger," Evie said. "I did my own research. Dr. Standish is the absolute best out there. And to think that you went there, and just… just _boldly_ asked her… it means a lot to me.

"Oh, and also, for not punching Sikowitz in the face."

"Well, glad I can oblige," Jade said.

Evie looked out over the crowd, full of dancing, eating, drinking, laughing, merry-making people. "It's just so wonderful. Like Christmas and a birthday all at once."

Cat came over with part of the pineapple dinosaur on a stick in her hand. "This dinosaur is delicious!" she said. "Oh, and Evie, Tori has a surprise for you!"

Tori was right behind the redhead, holding a PearPad. "Someone's here to see you," Tori said to Evie.

Tori fiddled with the touch screen, and then held up the screen towards Evie.

"Evanna!" Evie breathed.

"Hello, my friend," Evanna said, her face bobbing into view.

"You're here!" Evie cried. "Well, sort of! You're sort of here!"

"I'm sorry I can't be there in person," Evanna said, "but I sent a donation to a rather strange-looking fellow. I trust he's on the up and up?"

"He may look like a homeless man, but he has a heart of gold," Tori said.

"Oh, Evanna, you didn't have to send _money_," Evie protested.

"Well, I thought about sending a schnauzer, but they're just so hard to ship," Evanna said, and gave Evie a smile. "I was glad to do it."

Leonardo and the da Vincis took the stage and began tuning their instruments. Andre slid into his seat at the piano just as the first song started.

Kent came over and kissed Evie on the top of her head. "May I have this dance?" he asked.

"Oh, Daddy," Evie said, blushing furiously. "Sure."

She waved to the PearPad. "Bye, Evanna. I have to go dance with my dad."

"Have fun, Evie," Evanna said, returning the wave.

Kent slung Evie's ventilator and oxygen over his shoulder, and handed her the feeding pump, then swept her up in his arms and carried her from the chair out onto the dance floor.

The first number was a slow, soulful jazz tune, just perfect for dancing with that special someone. Jade had tears in her eyes as she watched Kent cradle Evie in his arms, twirling her about on the dance floor with her head resting on his shoulder.

"They're beautiful," Tori said quietly to Jade. "_She's_ beautiful."

"It's a beautiful night," Jade said.


	62. Chapter 61

**A/N: **I'm still so flattered by all the readers and reviewers I have for this story. I love getting new reviews or messages and I read and enjoy every single one. Thanks for making my day!

Reviews are love! Enjoy!

* * *

"Do I look all right?" Evie asked, smoothing her shirt down as she turned to Jade.

"You look fine," Jade said. "Since when do you care what you look like?"

"Dr. Standish is important!" Evie protested. "I have to make a good impression."

They were in the bathroom just outside the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic's inpatient unit, Kent and Annie waiting in the hallway. Evie tucked her hair behind her ears and sat down in her wheelchair, adjusting her ventilator attachment as she did. "I just… I want her to like me."

"Trust me, if she tolerated me for as long as she did, she'll be in _love_ with you," Jade said.

She took up her usual position behind Evie's chair, giving her sister a quick once-over as she did. As usual, Evie's look was understated and casual, a Hogwarts T-shirt paired with a denim skirt and low-top Converse shoes with light pink socks. Her silver Patronus bracelet was the only jewelry she wore, but she had other "attachments" spiraling out of her – trach, feeding tube, ventilator attachments, and central line. The overall effect was a girl who looked completely normal, but one who had suffered a serious fall into a pile of medical equipment.

"Let's go," Evie said, breaking Jade from her reverie, and they headed out of the bathroom.

Annie looked over at the girls as they let the bathroom door swing shut behind them. She was towing two rolling suitcases, and Kent pushed a wire cart filled with Evie's medical equipment. Jade picked up the two big canvas boat totes packed with Evie's medical records, X-rays, and test results.

"You weigh a ton," Jade muttered as she swung one tote bag over her shoulder.

"It's fifteen and a half years of living medically," Evie quipped as Jade put her wheelchair back into motion. "It's like living dangerously, but… less dangerously."

"I don't make enough for you to live dangerously," Kent said. "I barely make enough for you to live medically. God bless insurance, huh?"

"It's okay. I still love you, Daddy," Evie said, giving him a smile.

"I love you too, Evie-kins."

They entered the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic, and Beverly rose up from behind the reception desk. Her kind eyes took in Jade's familiar face, and she gave the family a smile. "Hello," she said to Evie. "You must be the sister."

"Is it that obvious?" Evie asked.

"You look well-loved," Beverly replied. "Please, right this way. Dr. Standish just walked across the hall to the nurses' station to make sure everything is set for your admission."

She showed them into Dr. Standish's comfortably shabby office. "Please let me know if I can get you anything," she said, and closed the door softly.

Kent and Annie took seats on the small sofa on the far side of the office, and Jade sat down in an armchair. "Evie, calm down," Jade said with a smile.

"What? I'm fine," Evie said.

"Your heart monitor's going nuts," Jade said, pointing.

Evie pulled the monitor up to read it. She wagged her finger at it. "Stop it, you," she said.

"I always wanted whimsical children," Annie said.

The door opened and Dr. Standish came in. Her red bob of hair bounced around her ears, and she gave the Wests an easy smile. Jade was pleased to see that there was some of the old fire back in the doctor's eyes.

"Hello, hello," the doctor said, hurrying to shake Annie and Kent's hands. "I'm Carrie Standish."

"I'm Kent West, and this is my wife Annie," Kent said. "And Jade you've already met, apparently. And Evie was with us in Disney World."

Dr. Standish gave Jade an encouraging shoulder pat, and then turned to Evie. "The famous Evie," she said without any hint of derision or sarcasm. "You're a very loved girl."

"So they tell me," Evie said.

Dr. Standish took a seat at her desk and found a yellow legal pad and a pen. "So let's talk about what we're going to do," she said. "What the plan is for getting you ready for transplant, and then what will happen at transplant and after."

"We brought her medical records," Annie said, pointing to the two boat totes.

"Great," Dr. Standish said. "I've seen the majority of the records already, but it will be helpful to have her most recent X-rays as we move forward."

She scribbled some things on her pad, then turned it towards Evie and Jade. "So, our plan for getting ready for transplant will be a three-pronged approach. First – Treatment for any bugs that are ongoing. Pseudomonas, c. diff, anything that's in there, we need to make the effort to try to wipe it out. Obviously that's not going to be an easy task, since at this point you have colonized pseudomonas, if nothing else. We'll start you on a regime of prophylactic antibiotics and extremely regular chest PT. I'd like you to do PT every four hours – and that means thumping, Vest, and IPV as well as nebulizers. I'd also like to start using a special machine that will help you produce stronger coughs, enabling us to get more junk up. It's called the Cough Assist, and it will attach to your trach.

"Next – I _need_ you to gain weight."

Evie glanced over at Annie, who nodded. "I told you," Annie said.

"While you're here in the hospital, you can eat anything you want. I don't care if you order it from food services or if your mom wants to bring stuff in. Obviously we'd like you to try to focus on high salt, high fat foods, but we can start out with anything that sounds good to you. I've talked to our dietary services personnel, and one of our CF nutritionists is going to come up and talk to you as well. They have a calorie plan worked out for you, so whatever you don't eat by mouth needs to go into the feeding tube."

"Third – exercise and general physical stability. Keep active, both mentally and physically. Rigorous nebulizer and med complicity, doing _all_ your PT, light exercise, et cetera. We'll do at least a couple series of X-rays and at least one bronch while you're here.

"Once we get you 'tuned up,' as we like to say, we'll get you registered to be on the transplant list, give you a beeper, and release you back into the wild."

"Like a hungry gorilla," Jade said.

"Jade," Kent said.

"It did sound a bit _National Geographic_, doesn't it?" Dr. Standish smiled. "Any questions, Evie?"

"Just one," Evie said. "What was it about my sister that charmed you?"

Dr. Standish looked surprised; apparently she'd been expecting a medical question. "Uh, well… she's very persuasive. And obviously very driven. She cares about you like crazy, and she wants what's best for you. I have a sister, and she lives in New Jersey and I haven't spoken to her in eight years. If I was in the position of needing medical treatment, my sister would probably be one of the last people to know I was even sick – forget about her trying to find the best doctors available."

She capped her pen and put it back on her desk. "Jade tells me you're one of a kind," she said, "but I think Jade's pretty one-of-a-kind, too."

Annie smiled.

"Dr. Standish, if you don't mind my asking," Kent said, "how long will Evie be on the transplant list?"

"That's a very good question," Dr. Standish said. "We have patients wait for varying lengths of time. I had a young man on the list who had lungs within three months. I also have another patient who is still waiting, and it's been two years. I would say that the majority of my patients experience between six and eleven months of waiting."

"And what kinds of complications can we expect after transplant?" Kent asked.

"Transplant can be a very grueling process, but it is different for everyone," Dr. Standish said. "The majority experience pain around the surgery site, and some psychological symptoms – for the first time in their lives, they can breathe freely, and that's usually a bit of a shock. Some people have a harder time dealing with the pain. Others end up with pneumonia or other infections. Once we get the sedation weaned down and the pain under control, we get the patient up and moving to reduce the possibility of blood clots and other chest problems."

"What would be your ideal transplant path for Evie?"

Jade started to feel the prickle of unease crawl up her spine again. She'd felt it the first time a lung transplant had been mentioned, and here it was again. There were simply too many variables – length of the wait, the surgeon's condition, the quality of the lungs, the recovery time. The room got a little smaller.

"Ideally I'd like her tune-up to take no more than two or three weeks. After that I'd like her to receive lungs within four months. Following transplant I'd like her to be up and moving within eight days. Shortly thereafter I'd like to increase her physical stamina enough to take her completely off all ventilator support, including at night. Following that we can do a cap trial on her trach, and once she's relearned to breathe successfully through her mouth and nose, we can take the trach out."

Jade was sweating. The room was too hot. She gripped the arms of her chair as though they were a life buoy in the middle of the ocean and she was a drowning ship passenger.

"Jade," Annie said gently.

Jade swallowed hard.

"Jade, I know this is a lot to take in," Dr. Standish said softly. "But please trust me. That's why you came to me, wasn't it?"

Jade swallowed again. "I came to you… because you're the best."

"That's a very flattering characterization," Dr. Standish said. "And if you think I'm the best, then that's what I want to prove to you."

Jade's head hurt and her fingers were tensed, painfully gripping the chair arms. "I'm scared," she managed to say.

"We're all scared," Kent said.

Jade turned toward her father. "_You're_ scared?"

"Of having some stranger's organs shoved into my daughter? Hell, yeah," Kent said.

"Kent," Annie said.

"But Jadey, all of us in the room know that Evie _needs_ a transplant," Kent said. "Transplantation is suggested when the disease has progressed so far that, without medical support, the patient would die."

"She's not 'the patient,'" Jade cried. "She's _Evie_."

"And she needs medical support to survive," Kent said.

"Right now we're seeing incredible survival rates for CF patients," Dr. Standish said. "In Canada they've got the median age of survival up to 47 years. _Years!_ Just last month there was news of a brand-new drug that's been approved by the FDA to treat CF in some patients. We _will_ find a cure… but for now, transplant _is_ the cure."

Seeing that Jade was no closer to letting go of the chair's arms, the doctor said, "Why don't you ask Evie what _she_ wants?"

That finally shook Jade from her reverie. She turned to her sister, who was fiddling with her Patronus bracelet, smiling as though discussions of her survival were held every day. "Evie?"

"I want to go to college," Evie said, still smiling. "I want to visit Evanna in Ireland. I want to be the maid of honor at your wedding."

"Who says I'm getting married?" Jade demanded.

Evie laughed. "And _there's_ my Jade," she said.

She put the brakes on her wheelchair, then shifted her machinery and stood up, leaning forward over Jade's chair so that the sisters were touching foreheads. "So far life with you has been an amazing ride," Evie said. "I want to see where we're going next. And if that means somebody else's lungs have to breathe for me, then fine! These ones aren't doing me much good right now anyway. We've made a life out of never looking back, but always going forward. And now it's time to go forward again – a bigger commitment this time, but still a very necessary one."

For the first time since they'd entered the office, Jade felt relief. It washed over her like immersion into a swimming pool, and the crawly feeling of fear was replaced by a sudden pure calm. She smiled at Evie, and then leaned forward to kiss her sister's forehead. "So let's go forward."


	63. Chapter 62

**A/N:** I am going into my "long on-call" period at work as we move into the summer. For the next three weeks I will be doing intensive training and so I will have a lot less time to update. After we finish training, I will have 48 hours off Friday-Sunday and I will do my best to update this story and my other works when I have time. The updates might be shorter, but I promise I will NOT forget about all of my readers and reviewers OR this story. :)

With that said, please enjoy this chapter... and remember, reviews are love!

* * *

Since it was generally accepted by all members of the West family that Jade would refuse to go to school while Evie was in the hospital, arrangements had been made for Jade and Annie to stay in the Pediatric Pulmonary Clinic's inpatient unit as well. Each of the teachers at Hollywood Arts had been gracious enough to create packets of classwork, readings, and homework for the girls. For Jade's acting classes, she would Skype in.

The room was not spacious, but it would do. Evie's cart of medical equipment was rolled in, followed by the respiratory therapists, bringing the Cough Assist and the hospital's own IPV machine. Jade sat on the window seat while one of the therapists showed Annie how to use the Cough Assist.

It was a blunt-ish, blue machine with several knobs and dials, and a single tube feeding out of the bottom, large enough to fit over Evie's trach. One of the therapists consulted an iPad-like device he held, checking Evie's chart. "We'll start your settings out really low, so we can increase if necessary. The basic principle of the CA is to push air _in_, and then suck it _out_ really fast, producing a more effective cough. In combination with your regular treatments, we'll be trying to get more of the junk out of your lungs."

He twisted a few knobs and flicked two of the switches. "It's ready to go."

With another flick he turned the machine on. It made an ominous _whump-whump_ noise, and the tube contracted and released, jerking in a little bit towards the big blue machine.

_Whump-whump_.

"We'll supervise treatments during the day, but we'll basically let you do your own thing," the therapist said as he turned off the machine, "and we'll do the treatments at night. We won't cough you at night unless it's necessary, but during the day we'll try to do as many as we can."

"Evie sleeps through treatments," Annie said. "So don't be surprised if she doesn't respond."

Evie gave the therapists a smile.

"A pro, huh?" the therapist said, giving Evie a smile in return.

"Fifteen years strong," Evie replied.

The therapists checked the machines' power and then left.

"They seem nice," Annie said.

"You're in good hands," Kent said. "I'm going to head back to the city, try to beat the traffic."

He gave Jade a kiss on her head. "Be good, Jadey."

Then he wrapped his arms around Annie. "I love you, my beloved."

"I love you too, dear," Annie said.

"I'll call when I get home," Kent said.

Then he crossed the room to Evie, who was sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, surrounded by her medical equipment. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "And to you, my Evie-kins," he said, "I love you more than the stars in the sky and the fish in the sea."

"And the angels in heaven and the birds in the trees," Evie said.

Jade smiled. It was a cutesy saying that had mostly fallen out of use in the West household; Evie had decided she was too old for it. But Jade had always loved it.

"I love you, Daddy," Evie said.

"I love you too, muffin," Kent said. "Be strong, and I'll see you next weekend."

He hugged Evie's thin frame to him. "Eat a cupcake for me, huh?"

Evie smiled.

And then Kent was gone.

Dr. Standish came in a few minutes later. "I see they've given you the Cough Assist," she said as she washed her hands in the room's sink. "Could we do a trial right now?"

"Let's do it," Evie said.

"There are a couple ways we can do the coughing," Dr. Standish said. "If you're having a low oxygen kind of day, we can keep you on the vent while we cough you. Otherwise we can do it through the trach."

Jade had her schoolwork out, looking over at the process with some interest. It seemed Evie had done nothing but acquire machinery over the past year.

Evie took herself off the vent and allowed Dr. Standish to hook the tubing up to her trach. "So we do four rounds, followed by suction, and bagging if your sats get low enough," the doctor said. "Do you have an ambu bag?"

"In the go bag," Annie said. She moved over to Evie's wheelchair and rummaged through one of the many bags hanging from the chair, bringing up a football shaped rubber contraption with a valve on one end. Annie brought the suction unit up from the chair as well, setting it on the bed.

"This might feel a little strange at first," Dr. Standish said to Evie. "If you get too uncomfortable, let me know and we'll stop."

Jade tapped her pencil on her geometry workbook.

Evie looked over at her sister, a little worried.

The Cough Assist machine made that threatening _whump-whump_ noise as Dr. Standish turned it on.

Evie panicked. The air was being shoved down her trach and then pulled back out before she could even register its presence. It felt like she was being punched in the sternum. The air vibrated and ricocheted across her chest and then it was sucked out again. She gagged and tried to cough, but the air was still there, in-and-out before she could get a full cough out.

_Whump-whump_.

Evie reached up for the tube, trying to disconnect herself from the machine.

"Keep going, Evie," Dr. Standish encouraged. "We're almost done. Two more rounds."

Evie rolled her eyes over to Jade. They were wide, anxious, watering.

"She wants to stop," Jade said.

"She's doing great," Dr. Standish said. "Here we go again."

_Whump-whump_.

"She wants to stop," Jade repeated, and got up, putting her workbook down. Her pencil rolled to the floor and she ignored it.

Evie grabbed the tube and ripped it off, gasping. The heart monitor was going wild with her exertions.

Jade was across the room before she knew what she was doing, and she shoved Evie's ventilator attachment back on, jumping up on the bed with her sister, wrapping her arms around Evie's thin frame. _When did she get so small?_ Jade wondered.

The machine breathed, and Evie breathed gratefully, looking up at her sister as though she'd been plucked, drowning, from the ocean.

The ventilator pushed another breath into Evie, and Jade felt Evie relax.

As Evie took another machine breath, Jade turned her gaze on Dr. Standish. The doctor still held the traitorous tube, which was still contracting and expanding with the same _whump-whump._

"If Evie says she's done," Jade said in her steeliest voice, "she means she's done."

The heart monitor beeped as Evie's heart rate dropped back into the acceptable range, and Evie relaxed further.

"Jade," Annie said. "The doctor is just trying to help. This is part of Evie's treatment from now on. It's important."

Evie's eyes were filling with tears and she lay back, curling herself around her ventilator tubing. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be sorry," Jade said. Her voice seemed to ring out over the sterile room. "You have nothing to be sorry for. This wasn't your fault."

Evie closed her eyes and let the tears run down her cheeks.

Dr. Standish turned the Cough Assist off. "We'll try again later," she said.

"Thank you, doctor," Annie said softly.

Jade pushed herself off the bed and prepared to go after Dr. Standish.

"Stay here," Annie said, her voice changing in an instant from soft and meek to hard as stone.

"But I have to…"

"Stay here," Annie repeated firmly. "You don't have to fight every battle."

"She doesn't need to…"

"You ever think that we're not the only ones fighting?" Annie demanded. "You ever think that we could win more hearts and minds by being _kind?_ Not everything needs to be solved with fists and angry words."

She pointed to the window seat. "Just do your homework."

"Mom, I…"

"I don't want to hear anymore," Annie said shortly. She waited until Jade was seated, with her workbook in her lap, and then she moved to the door. "I'm going for a little walk."

"Mommy," Evie said from the bed, trying to sit up. "I'm sorry."

Annie pursed her lips as though trying not to cry. She took a few steps forward and leaned down to caress Evie's head. "You never disappoint me, you sweet thing," she said. "I'm just going… to get some air."

At the door once more, Annie turned back to Jade. "Take good care of her," she said.

"Don't I always?" Jade asked.

* * *

Sikowitz threw the classroom door open. "Listen up, my little coconuts!"

He strode to the front of the room, then turned to Robbie. "My little Webmaster, is Jade here?"

"No," Robbie said. "She hasn't gotten on Skype yet."

"Good," Sikowitz said. "If she rings in, don't connect to her quite yet. I have a surprise for her."

He rummaged around in his bag. "Aha!"

"Your surprise is… what is that, a guava?" Andre asked.

The class looked up at the fruit in Sikowitz's hand. The teacher looked over at it. "Oh! No, this is my lunch. Where's my…"

He put the fruit on the podium and rummaged around in the bag again. "Here!"

This time he pulled out a small accordion, which he brandished like a shield as he played a short fanfare on it.

When the fanfare stopped, he looked around expectantly, as though surprised to be still standing in front of his students. There was a long, _long_ pause.

"Sinjin, good Gandhi, that was your _cue!"_ Sikowitz hollered finally.

The door burst open again and Sinjin and Burf appeared, carrying a giant check. "Sorry," Sinjin said as they hurried forward with the check. "Burf needed a minute with his pepper."

"Good Gandhi, Burf! Put a sock in it!"

"I don't _have_ a sock," Burf said as he and Sinjin approached the stage.

Sikowitz cradled his head in his hands.

"What's with the big check?" Beck wanted to know.

"Yeah, did you go to the giants' bank?" Cat asked, giggling. "They would have really big checks there!"

The computer in Robbie's lap _ping_ed as Jade attempted to Skype into the classroom. "Um, Sikowitz…"

"Yes, yes," Sikowitz said, resuming his usual stature. "Let us hurry before the Queen of the Night smites us all."

He grabbed the accordion again and played the fanfare, just a little bit louder. "Ladies and gentlemen and Sinjin…"

Cat giggled.

"… I would like to announce to you that the Hollywood Arts First Annual Spring Sensation raised _nineteen thousand dollars_ for Evie!"

For a moment there was stunned silence, and then the classroom erupted into cheers and clapping.

"This check is really heavy," Sinjin panted, trying to hold up his end.

"Jade's still trying to get onto Skype," Robbie said.

"Well, bring her in," Sikowitz said. "But no one _say a word!_ And for Gandhi's sake, Sinjin and Burf – get out of the way!"

In another instant the room was silent, Sinjin and Burf ducked to the side of the room, and Robbie turned the computer towards Sikowitz.

"Nice shirt," Jade's voice rang out of the speakers.

"Thank you," Sikowitz said.

"Was Goodwill having a sale?"

"No, but Nifty Thrifty was," Sikowitz said.

"Gotta love their Five Dollar Fridays," Jade remarked.

"Everything you can fit in a sack for five bucks flat," Sikowitz said, adding a little trill to his voice. "But that, I'm afraid, is a matter for another day. Let's get down to work."

He strode to the board and began writing. "We're still talking about the Japanese theory of…"

Sinjin tried to push his glasses up while still holding onto the check, and instead tripped forward, crashing head over heels onto the stage. The check reared up and whacked Burf in the face.

"What was _that?"_ Jade asked.

Robbie swung the computer towards the train wreck at the side of the room. Sinjin raised his head groggily.

"Sikowitz, is that a big check?"

"Um, no," Sikowitz said. "Why would you think it was a big check? That doesn't have anything to do with the Japanese theory of…"

"No, it's a big check," Jade said, sounding amazed.

Robbie hurriedly swung the computer back to Sikowitz.

"Robbie, knock it off! I'm getting seasick!" Jade groused.

"Should we tell her?" Sikowitz asked the class as a whole.

"Tell me _what?_"

"Where's Evie?" Cat asked as Robbie swung the computer in her direction.

"She's right here," Jade said. "Why? What's going on?"

"Get her onscreen," Cat suggested.

"Trust us," Beck said. "She's going to want to see this."

From off-screen Evie's voice came weakly: "Don't let them look at me. I'm wearing… _pajamas_."

"Sikowitz is wearing what appears to be a burlap sack that someone Bedazzled. I think they'll forgive your pajamas," Jade said.

Evie sighed. "Fine…"

"Sinjin! Burf! If you two are finished looking at your own belly buttons, show the Queen of the Night and her darling sister our massive check," Sikowitz directed.

Tori got to her feet and hauled Sinjin upright. "There you go," she said.

"Thanks," Sinjin breathed.

Tori helped Sinjin with his end of the check, and together they stood with Burf in the webcam's unblinking eye.

On the screen Jade's mouth fell open. "Holy…"

"Bananas!" Evie interrupted from behind her. "Jade, the FCC is going to take you off the Web if you keep swearing."

"The FCC has bigger things to deal with," Jade said. "Although I'm not sure they're bigger than this check."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Evie asked, and then her face appeared next to Jade's and her eyes went wide. "Holy _shit!"_

"Evie!" Jade said.

"Nineteen _thousand_ dollars?" Evie said in disbelief.

"That'll pay for a lung transplant _and_ a Ferrari," Jade quipped.

"Jadey," Evie said, still sounding shocked.

"And we're putting it all in the Evelyn West Foundation's bank account," Sikowitz said, bobbing into view. "It's all for _you_, Evie."

"Sikowitz, you're _amazing!"_ Evie cried.

"Robbie, turn it here," Beck said.

Robbie obediently swung the computer around again.

"Pretty good for a fundraiser that you didn't even want," Beck said to Jade, and gave her a smile.

"You're lucky you're so good-looking," Jade said.

"Now, if everyone is finished staring at the gigantic money, we really _do_ need to get back to the Japanese theory of…" Sikowitz strode back to the board. "Hey, who stole my guava!"


	64. Chapter 63

**A/N:** So, getting this chapter up took me longer than planned, but then I just made it longer than I planned. I'd like to thank all of my readers and reviewers - you guys are great!

Enjoy! And remember, reviews are love!

* * *

Before Evie's hospitalization, plans had been made for the sisters to attend a live show given by the Mythbusters. The show was being held at an auditorium in San Francisco, less than an hour from Palo Alto.

As the day drew closer, Evie kept wheedling her mother to ask for a day pass. "We've been planning this for _years_," she said.

"Evie."

"Well, months," Evie said. "Please, Mom, it's really important."

"We just got here!" Annie said.

"We've been here six days," Evie said.

"I'm just not sure I want you to leave," Annie said.

"I'm stable!"

"As a house in an earthquake, maybe!" Annie retorted.

"Mom, your insults are getting better," Jade observed from her window seat.

"They're not _insults_," Annie protested. "I just… Evie…"

She waved her hand. "There's all… _this_."

"Yeah, so, we're in a hospital," Evie said. "There's _always_ all this in a hospital."

"We practically take a hospital with us when we leave," Jade said. "I mean, if we took a nurse with us it'd be like setting up our own intensive care unit in the fourth row."

"Our seats are in the _fourth row?"_ Evie squealed.

Annie threw up her hands. "You girls are just lucky your father's not here."

"Look, Mom, if you're worried about the two of us going together, I'll call Beck and see if he and Cat want to drive up for the show," Jade said. "Beck knows CPR, and while I'm not really sure what Cat would do in an emergency, she certainly is perky."

"You two are just going to do exactly what you want," Annie said. "Fine. Call Beck, call Cat, call Tori – call whoever you'd like, and go off and have dinner with the Mythbusters if that's what you want."

"Mom," Jade said, closing her math book, "tomorrow you're shadowing Dr. Standish in the clinic and you're going to Evie's care conference. The two of us would be sitting around anyway. And didn't we prove to you at Disney that we can take care of Evie?"

"Yes, sweetie, I'm very proud of the way you and your friends have stepped up to care for Evie when you're out together. That makes me _very_ happy."

"Then what's the big deal?"

Annie came over and put her hand on Jade's cheek. "The problem is, my love, when you raise one daughter who's a rebel…"

"Is that me or you?" Evie asked, giving Jade a smile.

"… and one daughter who's medically fragile…"

"Oh, that one's me," Evie said. "I guess you're the rebel."

"… you become accustomed to a certain level of tension. And when that tension is heightened by… _anything_… even if it's a stay in an extremely well-regarded children's hospital under the all-knowing eye of an extremely well-regarded pulmonary specialist in pediatric CF… it still worries me. I like the quiet simple life, which I'm sure the good Lord laughs at every time something else gets sent my way with the two of you." Annie gave Jade a kiss on the top of the head. "I'd be happy if you two stayed home and never dated, never went anywhere, never wanted any adventure. If we just played Scrabble all the time, and drank hot cocoa, and…"

"We live in Los Angeles," Jade said.

"Well, okay, maybe lemonade," Annie said. "Lots and lots of lemonade. My point is, I'd be happy just staying home, never needing _any_ adventure. And you two – you give me heart palpitations."

"That doesn't work when Robbie's grandma says it, and it doesn't work with you, Mom," Jade said.

"I guess I'm overruled," Annie said, smiling. "Fine. Get your friends up here, and go see the Mythbusters with my blessing."

"Yay!" Evie squealed.

"It means you're both going to have to get up very early," Annie continued. "There's a lot to pack. So finish up your homework."

"Where are you going?" Evie asked as her mother got up.

"To get you that day pass you want," Annie said. "Or… am I wrong?"

Evie squealed with happiness again and threw her arms around her mother.

* * *

At nine the next morning, there was a quiet rap on Evie's hospital room door.

"Come in," Annie called softly.

Beck stuck his head into the room. "Special delivery from Los Angeles," he said.

"Oh, you sweet boy," Annie said. "You must have been on the road since really early this morning."

"The girls slept the whole way," Beck said. "In fact, Cat's still snoring in the passenger seat of the car. I told her we'd be back to get her with the van, but I don't think she heard me."

"You're a prince among youngsters," Annie said. "Jade is in the bathroom getting ready, and Evie's just finishing up her treatment."

Evie gave Beck a wave and tried to say something, but was drowned out by the gargling, spitty noise emanating from her tracheostomy and the buzz and whirr of her nebulizer.

"Hey, gorgeous," Beck said.

The bathroom door opened and Jade was standing there. "You better be talking to my sister," she said.

"Hi," Beck said, and gave her a kiss. "You look nice."

"Hi," Jade answered, accepting the kiss.

"Okay, Evie, time to cough and suction," Annie said. "And then it's all downhill from there, sweet girl."

She stood next to Evie, with the cart of medical equipment next to her. "Jade, will you bag her for me?"

"Sure," Jade said.

They moved as a team, with Annie operating the Cough Assist and the suction machine and Jade ready to pump fresh air into Evie's trach with the ambu bag.

As Annie hooked the cough tube to Evie's trach, Tori knocked on the door and came in. "Hi," she said to Evie.

Evie gave Tori a brave smile as the Cough Assist shot air down her trach and pulled it back out.

"Brave girl," Annie praised her daughter. "Good job."

_Whump-whump_, _whump-whump_, _whump-whump_.

"And… bag her, Jade," Annie said.

The heart monitor blared as Evie's heart rate soared and her oxygenation levels dropped.

"Brave girl," Annie praised again.

"Good job, Evie," Jade said, pumping air through the trach. "Keep breathing."

Tori unconsciously had crossed the room until she was standing at the foot of Evie's bed, reaching out one hand to touch Evie's sock-encased foot, offering support silently.

"And… pull the bag off," Annie said.

Jade detached the air valve from Evie's trach, and Annie swooped in with the suction tube.

Evie arched in the direction of the suction tube, as though trying to convince herself that she didn't need to grab it. Her eyes vacillated wildly between terrified and defiant, and tears streamed down her face.

Tori was a bit shocked in Evie's appearance change. The Wests had only been in Palo Alto a little more than a week, but Evie already looked different. Skinnier. Sicker, as though she could be bent in half at the rib cage and folded completely into nonexistence. But somehow fierce, as though she had decided it was really time to fight.

"Bag, Jade," Annie prompted.

And though Tori knew it probably seemed to Evie that the treatment lasted hours, after a few minutes the _whump_ of the machine was silenced, and the grating whirr of the suction machine was snapped off. Jade reached in to put Evie's ventilator attachment back onto the girl's trach, and Evie _did_ lean into that tubing, grateful for the machine's breathing assistance.

Once she'd had some time to recover on the ventilator, Evie slowly got out of bed and went about the mechanics of getting ready for the day. In between each step, she rested on the ventilator, sitting in her wheelchair when necessary. As she got dressed and did her hair, Annie and Jade moved around, packing equipment and supplies.

"Just take the Cough Assist," Annie said.

"Mom, it's heavy and it only runs on the inverter in the van," Jade pointed out. "If we really need it, who is going to run back out to the van to get it?"

"Cat will," Beck said. "She even wore her flat shoes today."

"Just take it," Annie repeated. "You might not need it, but I'd rather have you take it and not need it…"

"I don't even want to do that thing while I'm here," Evie rasped, pointing at the Cough Assist. "I'm certainly not going to do it while we're in a parking lot at a theater. Or _in_ a theater."

"It's going in the van. I don't care what you do with it once it's there," Annie said. "Don't fight me on this."

Evie rolled her eyes, but shoved her ventilator back into the bathroom and continued getting ready.

At ten-thirty they were heading out of the hospital, with Dr. Standish following them, a smile on her face. "You look like you're going to have a wonderful adventure," she said. "And I love your shirt."

Evie smiled proudly at her T-shirt, black with white emblazoned lettering and a small picture of a person falling through space: "I do all my own stunts."

"I love you," Annie said, hugging Jade close and kissing her. "And I love you too." She hugged Evie. "And I really appreciate all you do," she said to Beck and Tori, giving them hugs as well.

"We'll be back in time for dinner," Jade said.

"I know. Just let your mother have her moment," Annie said. "Please, Evie, be good… and do all your treatments like Jade says… and if you need the Cough Assist."

"Mom, we're not going off to war!" Evie protested.

They got loaded into the van with Jade behind the wheel and Evie up front with all of her machinery, on their way to pick up Cat, who was still snoozing in Beck's car in a lower level of the parking garage.

Dr. Standish and Annie watched the van as its taillights disappeared.

"Sometimes it feels like they're going off to war, doesn't it?" Dr. Standish asked Annie, putting her arm around the mother.

Annie was too overcome with emotion to say anything; as they walked back into the hospital, all she could do was beam through the tears streaming down her face.

* * *

The Mythbusters' show was just as good as it was purported to be. Jamie and Adam, the charismatic hosts of the TV show, had such wildly differing personalities that each show was often a mix between Jamie's stern, mustachioed mechanical discipline and Adam's dramatic, goofy antics. True to form, Adam was the silly, joke-telling one as he leapt about the stage, reenacting scenes from various episodes, while Jamie sat in the background, giving hints here and there of his mustachioed grin.

The second act of the show involved the other three Mythbusters hosts, Kari, Tory, and Grant. The trio related funny stories as they performed science experiments, leaving the audience laughing hysterically.

At the end, the cast took questions from the audience, and then they left the stage to a raucous standing ovation.

"Don't move," Jade cautioned Evie as everyone around them got up.

"Where am I going to go?" Evie demanded, waving her hands at the medical equipment tethering her to her wheelchair.

"No, I mean, we're not…" Jade said something that was lost in the crush of the crowd.

"What?" Evie asked.

Jade turned back to her. "We're not going out that way," she said.

"It's the only way out," Evie said.

"Oh, ye of little faith," Jade said, and gave her sister a grin.

When the crowd had thinned, Beck stood up from his seat, his smile almost as big as Jade's. "Let's do it," he said.

"What? Where…?" Evie tried to ask.

Before she could get her question out, Jade was propelling her chair down the aisle towards the stage. At the steps leading up to the stage there was a quick look exchanged between Tori and Beck, and then Tori and Beck and Jade were lifting up Evie's wheelchair, carrying her up the stairs with Cat following along behind with the backpacks full of supplies.

"Where are we going?" Evie managed to get out.

"Special surprise," Jade said as the chair hit solid ground again.

Cat scampered ahead and opened one of the big doors at the rear of the stage. "Surprise!" she sang out gaily.

"Jade," Evie said, turning around her chair to see her sister. "You didn't…"

"Thought we'd make the most of that day pass," Jade said, grinning, "since I'm not sure when we'll get another one."

She steered Evie's chair around the corner and through another door, and there, sitting at a table, were the Mythbusters.

"Oh, you didn't," Evie breathed.

"It's lunch time," Jade said. "So we'll have some lunch."

"With the _Mythbusters?"_

"Who would you rather eat with, besides the four of us?" Jade asked.

One by one the Mythbusters got up to introduce themselves to Evie, and it was clear from the look on Evie's face that she was in absolute rapture.

"Love your shirt," Adam said as Jade wheeled Evie up to the chair. "You seem like a pretty extreme gal."

"I'm just not rich enough to hire a stunt double," Evie quipped, and that got a laugh.

Over lunch the Mythbusters traded stories with the Hollywood Arts students and there was plenty of laughter and conversation. Kari and Tory hung on every word of Evie's stories about Universal Studios and the Grant-a-Dream trip. "Totally cool," Kari pronounced when Evie got to the part about meeting Evanna.

"My favorite part of the show is where you tried to jump the red wagon with your bicycle," Cat said to Tory, a huge smile on her face.

"That's everyone's favorite part," Tory said.

At the end of the lunch the Mythbusters presented Evie with a big tote bag full of presents. "Just some little things so you'll think of us," Adam said. "And someday, if it fits in with your schedule, we'd love to have you come out to see an explosion."

"Yeah!" Evie said, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Only if you bring your sister," Grant said. "And your friends."

"Well, okay," Evie agreed. "If I have to."

They posed for pictures, Evie grinning amidst a sea of Mythbusters, and they quickly signed Evie's shirt. Kari wrote, "Is Evie the coolest girl ever? Myth – confirmed!"

And all too soon it was over, and Jade and Beck were loading Evie back into the van as Tori and Cat put the supplies in the backseat.

"Easy," Beck said as he lifted Evie out of her chair to settle her in the passenger seat. "Watch your head."

Before they had even hit the freeway Evie was asleep, with the ventilator offering her extra support as the pumps surrounding her whirred. Cat had her headphones over her ears and was bopping along to something with a quick beat, and Tori became engrossed on something on The Slap, but Beck leaned forward to talk to Jade.

"This was really nice of you," he said as Jade pulled onto the freeway, heading back to Palo Alto.

"It was nothing," Jade said with a shrug.

"I think it probably meant a lot to Evie," Beck said.

Jade didn't say anything, signaling to move over to the left lane.

"I think all of this means a lot to Evie," Beck said. "You spending time with her and your mom… it's very special for her."

"I'm not doing this because she's going to die," Jade said abruptly.

For a moment Beck could think of nothing to say. Then he collected his thoughts. "No. Who said that you were?"

"I'm doing this because she loves the Mythbusters," Jade said. "And because hanging out in the hospital sucks. _Not_ because she's going to die."

Before Beck could say anything, Jade went on. "Everybody thinks that we do all these things, that we go all these places, because we want to have good memories to look back on when Evie dies. But that's not why I'm doing this. Because she's _not_ going to die. And people who aren't going to die deserve to do kick-ass things with their life, even if they have to drag a frigging hospital around with them."

Her voice sounded choked with tears and she gripped the steering wheel tightly until her knuckles ached.

"You do this because you're a kick-ass sister," Beck said quietly. "_Not_ because she's dying."

"She is _not_ dying," Jade barked. "She is _not_."

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she hurriedly reached up to smear them away. "She deserves to be happy. Even if she's dying, she deserves to be happy. And I'm not going to stop. I'm not going to stop taking risks to make her happy. _Ever_."

Jade sucked in a ragged breath. "Because _when_ she dies… it will never have been about _me_ being happy. It will never be about me being happy ever again. But if I _know_ that she was happy, then maybe…"

Her voice trailed off as she slowed, signaling for an exit. "Then maybe it won't be like we fought in vain."

"Nobody who fights like you ever fights in vain," Beck said.

And though she knew it was true, Jade had to square her shoulders and take several deep breaths to keep from breaking down as she steered them back to the sterile white environment of the hospital that was trying to save Evie's life.

Because if she couldn't die healthy, Jade was sure as hell going to make sure Evie died happy.

No matter _who_ she had to fight.


	65. Chapter 64

**A/N:** So, yeah, I know I just updated, but this scene has been rattling around in my head for quite awhile and I wanted to get it out. I can't really explain, but the first few times I heard "Make it in America" it seemed very sad to me, and I finally figured out why - that's the cornerstone of this short chapter. (I recommend listening to it while you read this, it will make it much easier to "hear" the words Jade writes.)

Reviews are love!

* * *

When night fell, Jade was back in her window seat in Evie's hospital room. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and one of Evie's sketch pads rested on her lap, filled with a few aimless scribbles and halfhearted doodles that meant nothing as she watched the sun go down. The song assigned by her songwriting teacher had failed to magically appear.

Evie was asleep, sprawled out like an angel fallen from heaven into a pile of medical equipment. Jade watched her sister, motionless and pale in the fluorescent lights overhead. Numbers and heartbeats bounced across screens, scrolling past in red and green.

Annie had gone down to the family lounge to make herself a cup of coffee, and besides the sounds of Evie's equipment, things were quiet.

From the nurses' station there was a laugh, and a woman's voice said, "No, I had to return it. I thought it was going to work, but turns out I ordered some sort of Chinese replacement part. It said 'Made in America,' though…"

The voice drifted away and Jade's thoughts went with it. All of a sudden her head was filled with Tori's song lyrics – "Make it in America." It had always sounded so sad to her, sad in ways she could never fully explain – like it deserved different words.

Words came to Jade faster and faster, and she grabbed for her pencil, scribbling lyrics down as fast as she could, singing aloud the words as they appeared.

"_She lays here in bed, calls out to me  
Her wires and tubes, her tiny pale feet  
And she's dying, dying in America_

"_Fifteen years she's lived trying to breathe  
Could never put roots down, never grow like a tree  
'Cause she's dying, dying in America_

"_And she's all the good I could never be  
Her smile opens up the world for me  
Why's she dying, dying in America?"_

* * *

Streetlights whizzed past as Beck drove Cat and Tori back to Los Angeles.

"It's not fair, is it, Beck?" Cat asked into the silence.

"What's not fair?" Beck looked up into the rearview mirror.

"It's not fair that birthday wishes don't come true." Cat's voice sounded heavy with tears.

Tori turned to face the redhead. "What did you wish for?"

"A puppy. And new lungs for Evie." A tear trickled down Cat's face. "And I don't want the puppy anymore."

Tori reached out and took Cat's hands in hers as the redhead sobbed. "She's still got time, Cat. There are still lungs out there."

Cat shook her head fiercely, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No. You saw her. She's sick."

"There's still time," Tori repeated. "_There's still time_."

Cat gripped Tori's hands. Streetlights seemed to blink off and on, off and on, cradling the car in a near-constant tunnel of light.

"Nobody thought we'd make it to Disney World," Tori reminded Cat. "And did we go to Disney World?"

Cat mumbled something.

"And did we go to Disney World, Cat?"

"Yes," Cat whispered.

"And did we meet Luna Lovegood, and did we drink Sprite in a piano bar, and did we win the American Idol Experience?"

"Yes."

"And wasn't it the most magical experience you've ever had?"

"Yes," Cat sobbed. "Yes."

"And don't you think that if there's enough magic to get Evie to Disney World, then there's enough magic to find Evie lungs?"

"I want there to be!"

* * *

"_She needs to see the sun  
She needs to laugh, to run  
She needs to live because there's no way she's done_

"_I – I want to save her smile  
Want to take her out to the ocean  
Want to see her love in motion  
But she's dying, dying in America  
Dying in America."_

* * *

Andre was at his piano. His cell phone sat atop it, buzzing periodically with messages from The Slap and texts from Robbie, but after a while the pianist paid it no attention. His fingers were dancing, lithe and quick, as though they knew exactly where they were going.

His mind was with Jade and Evie, though, meandering its way down a path it had never been sure of. They were so far away, and the joy and success of Sikowitz's Spring Sensation were fading quickly. It seemed to Andre that the momentum of Evie's struggle was coming to an end, petering out like a candle running out of wax.

It wasn't right, though, and he knew it.

As though they were no longer separated by time and space, Andre's fingers unconsciously picked up on Jade's brain waves, playing "Make it in America" as though commanded to by some invisible conductor.

The music was so plaintive, craving for something. Was it possible that he'd never heard it that way before?

* * *

"_Her life has been replaced by machines  
Wires and tubes instead of faded blue jeans  
'Cause she's dying, dying in America_

"_Listen to her breathe and I want to cry  
Want to tell her she just can't die  
Don't like her dying, dying in America…"_

* * *

In the backseat of Beck's car, Cat's tears had mostly dried, though Tori still held the redhead's hands.

"Tori," Cat said.

"Yeah?"

"How'd you learn so much about magic?"

The redhead's voice was plaintive and sad, clearly grasping for an answer she could not provide herself.

Streetlights flickered overhead and the pavement fell away beneath the spinning tires as Tori searched her soul for the right answer. "I guess… I guess I learned it from Evie."

* * *

"_She needs to see the sun  
She needs to laugh, to run  
She needs to live because there's no way she's done_

"_I – I want to save her smile  
Want to take her out to the ocean  
Want to see her love in motion  
But she's dying, dying in America  
Dying in America."_

Jade's eyes were filled with tears but she still sang on, her voice somehow accompanied by nearly-silent music. In the hospital bed Evie remained motionless, all the fight gone out of her. It was just _wrong_, her inactivity, her unsmiling face.

"_I see those tears drip down her face  
All her pain and hurt no time will erase  
Think her world's a very lonely place  
Don't know how she pushes on_

_"But she goes to see the sun_  
_She's always the laughing one_  
_She fights 'cause there's no way she's done_

_"I – I want to find that cure_  
_To save her heart so sweet and pure_  
_To give her something that endures_  
_Even if she's dying, dying in America_

_"Yeah, she's dying,_  
_Dying in America…"_

Jade turned her head and looked out over the hospital's parking lot, the stars shining somewhere above the streetlights and the hum and buzz of a busy city. Though the words had come to her in a rush, now that they were written down, now that they were sung, she felt strangely empty. Strangely detached, as though something important had gone, and she looked out at the night with no more curiosity than someone considering drying paint. Things seemed very dull, very lackluster, hollow to the core.

In the doorway Annie wiped her tears away, squared her shoulders, and prepared for the next battle.

And Evie slept on, cradled in words and music, in tears and love, and in the magic of the completely ordinary.


	66. Chapter 65

**A/N:** This is shorter than I wanted it to be, but I feel like my time off was shorter than I wanted it to be, so we're all going to have to compromise. Wish me luck as I head into the first week of on-call 24/5 days... my next break will be next Friday.

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - enjoy!

* * *

A fever spiked the next morning, and Evie grew groggy and impatient. "I want… juice," she groused to Annie. "I want juice. And ice. Juice ice. Slushies."

Dr. Standish pressed her stethoscope to Evie's chest. "Lots of junk in there," she said to Annie. "We're going to up your treatments to every two hours."

"I want a juicy ice," Evie grumbled to Annie.

"Sweetheart, I don't understand," Annie said.

"Juicy. Ice," Evie repeated, a little louder and more firmly. She put her hands up to cover her eyes.

"I'm going to up the antibiotics and push more fluids," Dr. Standish continued, "as well as get some Tylenol on board."

"What do you think it is?" Annie asked.

Jade perched on the window seat, toes tapping the tile floor.

"At this point my guess is a line infection," Dr. Standish said. "I'll get a tech up here to draw some labs, and we'll know by this afternoon."

"Are you going to take the line out?" Annie looked worried.

"I don't want to leap to any conclusions," Dr. Standish said. "If it's not a line infection there's no need to take the line out. So we'll just start slowly, treat for infection, and we'll get back together in the afternoon to discuss what's going on."

Evie tapped the hospital bed rail. "Juicy. _Ice_."

"I'll go down to the cafeteria and look for a… juicy ice," Annie said. "Jade, do you want anything?"

"Muffin," Jade said.

Annie gave her a thumbs-up and headed out.

"The respiratory therapist will be here in ten minutes to start the first treatment," Dr. Standish said. "I'll get the orders written for fluids and Tylenol."

With that the sisters were left alone. Jade crawled up into bed next to Evie. Her sister's forehead was pulsing with heat, and Jade could hear mucus bubbling up through Evie's trach. "Tell me your worries, Evie-kins," she murmured.

"Turn the lights down," Evie said, under the barrier of hands protecting her eyes.

Jade fumbled for the bed controls and clicked the lights off. The room dropped into gray shadows, mirroring the outside weather.

"Thank you," Evie said. "Juicy ice."

"Mom went to find you a juicy ice," Jade said. "Can I suction you?"

"No."

"I'm going to do it anyway." Jade leaned over to the cart next to the bed and flicked on the suction machine. With practiced hands she pulled off Evie's ventilator attachments, suctioned out her sister's trach, and replaced the vent attachments. "There you go."

"You're mean to me," Evie said.

"But I love you," Jade said, turning off the suction machine.

"Sometimes it's the same," Evie retorted.

* * *

Beck slung his backpack into a chair next to Robbie. "What's the news, Robbie?"

Robbie's fingers were manipulating his cell phone screen as quickly as possible. "We lost Cat," he said without looking up.

"We… _what?"_ Beck asked.

"I talked to Cat last night at ten o'clock," Robbie said, finally looking up, "right before I was going to bed."

"And _I_ was going to watch 'Olympic Athletes Underwater,'" Rex put in.

"And she said she'd meet me at school early so we could work on our chemistry homework," Robbie went on. "But she never showed up. So I texted Jade, who said _she_ talked to Cat at eleven-thirty, and Cat was in line at The Hobby Hut."

"This is sounding more and more ridiculous," Beck said.

"Right?" Robbie shoved up his glasses. "I didn't even know The Hobby Hut was still _open_ at eleven-thirty."

"Um, okay," Beck said. "So Cat was off buying supplies for her… hobby. Which is… what?"

"Well, nobody knows," Robbie said, "because Cat hung up while she was talking to Jade. And Jade said there was a guy in the background who sounded like one of Cat's brother's shady friends. They were discussing tables."

Beck let that one sink in. "Tables?"

"Yeah. Tables."

"And we're worried because…?"

Before Robbie could answer, the door flew open and Sikowitz stood there, looking resplendent and peeved in an orange pair of pants and a bright green vest. "We found her!" he panted.

Robbie and Beck bolted to their feet. "Where?" Robbie demanded.

"Down on Maple and Vineyard!" Sikowitz yelled, and ran back out.

Robbie grabbed Rex, Beck grabbed his backpack, and they hurried after their teacher.

Two blocks away the boys skidded to a halt behind Sikowitz. The teacher's wispy hair bobbed in the sun as he pointed. "There," he said.

Beck and Robbie turned, and saw Cat.

"How did we miss that?" Robbie asked.

"I don't know," Beck said. "I mean, look at the traffic…"

There was Cat, perched proudly on a traffic island in the middle of a roundabout, with cars honking and jostling for space. The redhead sat behind a table filled with clipboards and flyers, and there was a big sign erected over her head. In bright red and blue letters the sign read "I WANT LUNGS FOR MY FRIEND EVIE!"

"Oh, man," Beck said.

Dodging traffic, Andre and Tori ran up behind the gathered group. "Sinjin said she was here," Andre panted. "But I didn't believe him."

"What is she doing?" Tori asked.

Cat had spotted them. "Hi, guys!" she yelled over the sounds of traffic.

Beck looked at Andre. "Does Cat's brother still have that friend…? You know, the one with the 'amateur' surgeons for parents?"

"Um, I don't know," Andre said.

"She doesn't look like she's going to take the lungs by _force_," Tori said, sounding almost hopeful.

"Maybe we should just go ask her what she's doing," Sikowitz suggested.

After waiting a few moments, the group was able to dodge the traffic and get themselves across to the traffic island. Cat beamed up at them. "Hi!"

"Cat, what are you doing?" Tori asked.

"I'm looking for Evie's lungs," Cat replied happily. "Do you want a Juicy Juice?"

"Um, sure?"

Cat reached under the table and pulled out a cherry-berry juice box. "Here you go."

Tori took it and poked the little straw into the top. "Wow, Cat, thanks…"

"WAIT!" Cat screamed, and everyone jumped.

"_What?"_ Tori asked.

"You can't drink that juice until you sign up to be an organ donor," Cat said, and shoved at clipboard at Tori.

"_This_ is how you're finding Evie lungs?" Andre asked.

"Yeah," Cat said. "I want everybody in California to sign up to be organ donors. Maybe then if one of them dies, they'll be Evie's lungs."

"And you're not going to… um… _take_ the lungs from anyone?" Beck asked.

Cat giggled. "That's silly. I'm not a doctor."

"Oh, good," Beck said. "That's really good, Cat."

Tori had finished writing her information on the clipboard. "Here you go," she said to Cat, and proceeded to drink her juice.

"So, how many people have you signed up?" Robbie wanted to know.

"Since this morning?" Cat checked the clipboard. "Three thousand, four hundred and sixty-two."

"And you've been sitting here since…?"

"Four-thirty," Cat said. "Did you know The Hobby Hut closes at midnight?"

"I do now," Tori said.

"I want _all_ of you to sign up to be organ donors," Cat said firmly, looking at Sikowitz, Andre, Beck, and Robbie. "And then you can have juice."

By four o'clock that afternoon Cat had more than 10,000 people signed up to be organ donors, and she'd given away nearly the same amount of juice boxes. Her friends, even Sikowitz, had stayed by her side the entire day, helping with the sign-up effort.

At one o'clock a local news crew had shown up, and Cat had beamed and waved into the camera.

"Miss Valentine, could you tell us why you're doing this?" the newscaster asked.

"Do you know where Palo Alto is?" Cat asked in reply, still beaming.

"Um, yes," the newscaster said.

"That's where my friend Evie is," Cat replied. "She's sick. She has cystic fibrosis. And she needs new lungs. I want people to become organ donors, so that if they die, they can help Evie live."

"So why did you choose this traffic circle for your campaign?" the newscaster wanted to know.

"I like it here!" Cat answered happily. "There's lots of people and it's only a block away from Gallagher's Mini Mart."

"And what's with the juice?"

"I love juice!" Cat beamed.

"You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen," the newscaster said. "A young lady out to spread the message about organ donation… and juice."

* * *

"Sing me that song again," Evie murmured in her feverish voice. Her eyes were closed and Jade was counting the tiny veins in her sister's paper-thin eyelids. "The one you sang last night."

"No," Jade said. "That wasn't a song for you."

"You were singing it to me."

"I was singing it to the world."

"_I'm_ your world," Evie said, and Jade didn't move to correct her.


	67. Chapter 66

**A/N: **Thank you all for being so patient with me. My job has really been busy lately; I'm on-call pretty much 24/7 and I've been using whatever breaks I have to sleep and take care of myself. Luckily I had an early night tonight and was able to come home and crank this out for you guys.

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - I love you! Thanks for all you bring to my life!

Reviews are love! More soon!

The song at the end of the chapter is "Dark Side" by Kelly Clarkson. Feel free to listen to it while you read; it's what I had on. :)

* * *

As it turned out, the line was not infected. Two days of antibiotics proved to be the cure, and Evie was able to take all of them through her central line. When the fever broke she was happier and more alert, able to sit up in bed for long hours, reading, doing schoolwork or surfing the Internet.

If she felt really well they went to the Child Life areas, where Evie could indulge her artistic passions or chat with other patients. And if it was an _amazing_ day, Evie would do a few laps around the pulmonary unit, pushing her wheelchair filled with equipment in front of her.

Jade and Annie hung in there as best they could, following Evie's ups and downs. Annie became extremely focused on Evie's "inputs and outputs," and charted them religiously with an Excel spreadsheet. Jade tried to do schoolwork when her thoughts would leave her alone, and spent far too much time thinking.

Their friends back in LA did their best to make the days go by quickly. Cat sent updates on the organ donor campaign from a Twitter account she'd set up, as well as a Splash Face page and several Slap photo albums. She was recruiting celebrities to the cause, though she seemed to forget who they were, posting captions such as "Chef guy signed the petition!" under Bobby Flay's picture or "Singer? Actress? Maybe? Who knows?" with a photo of Gwyneth Paltrow.

Beck called every night, usually when Evie was in the throes of her final day-time respiratory treatment, compelling Jade to go out to the family lounge, getting her away from the tubes and wires and coughing and endless suctioning. She wasn't quite sure if she hated or loved him for that. On one hand, sometimes it was hard to watch Evie struggle, but on the other hand, Jade was supposed to be the strong one.

"If you don't take a break you're going to mow down some counter workers at that frozen yogurt place," Beck told her one night. "You need to be away from Evie, even if it's just for a few moments."

Tori frequently emailed Evie and they had several long Skype sessions discussing any number of things under the sun. Evanna emailed as well, and sent little packages filled with any number of Irish trinkets and souvenirs. "For my name-sister," Evanna wrote. "And some things for her sister as well."

On a Friday evening Jade's phone rang earlier than usual. She answered it, smiling. "You're early. You must not have had that much fun at the pinball arcade."

"Oh, um, I didn't go to the pinball arcade," Tori's voice said.

"You're not Beck," Jade said, aware that her statement was silly and pointless.

"No, sorry," Tori said.

"You dialed the wrong number," Jade said. "Evie's number ends in seven."

"No, I meant to call you," Tori said. "But I'll get off the phone quickly so you can talk to Beck. I just wanted to tell you to get Evie to watch iCarly tomorrow night."

"Why?" Jade asked suspiciously.

"I just… I have it on good authority that they _might_ be doing something that might interest you. And Evie. And, really, all of us," Tori stumbled. "Um, so, will you get her to watch it?"

"Sure," Jade said. "I mean, what else are we going to do?"

"Okay, thanks," Tori said. "Um, and don't tell anyone else."

"This is a lot of requests," Jade said.

"Please just play along," Tori said. "I promise it will be worth it."

Jade rolled her eyes as she hung up on Tori, but when Beck called twenty minutes later, she said nothing. _I must be going soft in the head, doing exactly what Vega tells me… it has to be a sign of insanity._

* * *

"I was going to watch iCarly anyway," Evie grumbled. "Why are you being so _pushy?"_

"Because I love you," Jade said. "Now, just watch. Do you want some gummy worms?"

"Not right now," Evie said.

"How about a cupcake?"

"No."

"Juice?"

"If you offer me another food item, I just might punch you."

"I'm not scared of you," Jade said. "You punch like a girl."

"I _am_ a girl."

"Please eat something," Jade said. "Mom left us all this food on the condition we would _eat_ it."

"I can't hear you," Evie said, singsong in her voice. "The show's starting…"

The ever-perky Carly Shay and her co-host, Sam Puckett, popped up on the computer screen in front of the sisters. "Hey there, snickerdoodles!" Carly exclaimed. "If it's Saturday…"

"… and you're in the bathtub eating cheese," Sam put in.

"… then I'm Carly…"

"… and I'm Sam…"

"And this is iCarly!" the girls said together.

"First up tonight, our friend Gibby and the other members of his Monday night ballet class will be performing their recital number," Carly said.

"We've also got a kid from Ridgeway Elementary who's going to burp the Declaration of Independence," Sam said.

"And in an iCarly first, we're doing something called 'Music and Lyrics.'"

The camera swung around to face the tech producer, Freddie Benson. "We can't actually call it Music and Lyrics, guys. That's a movie."

Someone grabbed the camera and yanked it back to the girls. "Maybe _you're_ a movie," Sam retorted, releasing the lens.

"I'm not a movie!" Freddie squeaked.

"Easy there, tight-pants," Carly said.

Off-camera, Freddie said, "Just call it 'Song and Dance.'"

Sam let out a gusty sigh. "Fine. We're doing something called 'Song and Dance.'"

"Oh, man," Evie said. "I can't wait to see Gibby do ballet."

Her eyes were riveted to the screen, but Jade smiled as she saw her sister's hand snake towards the bowl of sour gummy worms.

Gibby's ballet class turned out to be made up of sixteen little girls in pink tutus. In their soft slippers, the group performed a dance choreographed to a song from "Singin' in the Rain."

"It would be better if they weren't so sincere about it," Jade said. "They look so sincere. It takes all the humor out of it."

The kid burping the Declaration of Independence did so, and then proceeded to pass out cold.

"Okay!" Sam said.

"What a perfect segue into our next segment!" Carly said. "Freddie, will you pull up the video screen while we tell the folks at home what this is all about?"

"Pulling up the video screen," Freddie said.

"So, as you may or may not remember," Sam said, "we have a group of friends from Hollywood Arts High School in Los Angeles."

"That's in California!" Gibby said.

"Oh, go untuck your leotard," Sam said.

"Sam," Carly said.

"It's just gross."

"As Sam was saying, our friends from Hollywood Arts really know how to show visitors a great time," Carly went on. "They're great people, and after they welcomed us so thoroughly…"

"… you could call it that," Freddie muttered from behind the camera.

"… we wanted to do something to repay them," Carly finished. "So, although it's a little serious, and not like our usual iCarly videos…"

"One of our friends has a little sister who's struggling a lot right now," Sam said. "So we put together a tribute…"

"Jade," Evie said.

"Hmm?" Jade asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Do you know anything about this?"

"Not a thing."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Shh, just watch."

"… using music, photos, and videos," Carly was saying. "We hope our video tonight will raise awareness about cystic fibrosis and about organ donation in general."

She looked directly into the camera. "Evie, this one's for you."

Jade looked over at Evie. Her sister's eyes were filled with tears.

Freddie switched over to the video screen and music started to play. It was sweet, innocent, music-boxy.

_There's a place… that I know…_

Black-and-white photos filled the screen, one after another, fading in from black and then fading out to the same. Evie's medical equipment – the ventilator. The suction machine with all its tubes. The feeding pump. The central line winding out of her chest. The wheelchair, sitting in a hallway somewhere. The Vest system. Numbers and lights and cords and wires. It all looked stark and unreal, like Evie was some sort of sanctified untouchable and this was the veil keeping her from society.

_It's not pretty there and few have ever gone… If I show it to you now… Will it make you run away?_

Then video, shot on the Disney trip, in sudden, almost-too-bright color. Evie coughing. Evie doing a breathing treatment. Evie strapped into the Vest. Evie closing her eyes in pain and exhaustion as Jade hooked up her equipment.

_Or will you stay / Even if it hurts…?_

And then a black-and-white hand flying up to the lens, as though saying "Go away."

_Everybody's got a dark side / Do you love me? / Can you love mine?_

The hand faded to black, and then video slammed back into color. Evie staring up at the Hogsmeade shops, the sky overhead the bluest blue Jade could remember, the girl looking awed as the camera panned around her. Evie with Evanna. Evie looking up at Dumbledore. Annie and Kent hugging Evie, as though ignorant of all of her equipment.

And Evie, through it all, laughing.

Evie in the pool at the hotel, drifting in her pink float. Evie and Jade, playing xylophone and egg-shaped shaker respectively.

_Nobody's a picture perfect / But we're worth it / You know we're worth it…_

On and on, until Jade felt like her heart would split open.

Evie watched, her mouth open, astonished that her life was being broadcast across the world, wondering if the silence in the million homes and schools and hotel rooms and libraries and gas stations was as silent as the awe in the hospital room.

And finally, as the song slowed, two final images.

The first – black-and-white, a close-up of Evie tucking her hair behind her ear with her long, slim fingers, her Patronus bracelet glinting towards the camera. A shy smile, closed eyes, lowered head as though Evie and the photographer were sharing a joke.

And first in grayscale, but then morphing to bright, gorgeous color – Evie standing upright, arms outstretched, head lifted to the sky. Tubes and wires spiraled away from her, towards her wheelchair, which was parked to the right of the shot. Her body blocked the sun, and as such, glowed fiercely, silhouetting the girl against a sunset.

… _we're worth it_.

The sunset photo faded to black, and words filled the screen: "For Evie West, with so much love."

And then there was the address of a Facebook group Cat had started: "Find Lungs for Evie West." And the Twitter of the organ donation movement, and a Website where viewers could find out more information about cystic fibrosis.

The girls finished the show, but Jade couldn't focus on what they were saying. She was lost in the vacuum of time and space that _was_ the video, caught up with Evie, first in struggle and then in triumph. So lost that she didn't hear Evie the first few times her sister spoke.

"_Jade_," Evie repeated, more forcefully.

"What?"

"Did you know about this?"

Jade had known something, had guessed at Tori's request that Evie and her fight would be shared in some way on iCarly. But she'd had no clue how it could make her feel. How _small_ it could make her feel. How infinitesimal. How _grateful_.

"No," she said, her eyes shining as she looked at her sister. "No, I had no idea."


	68. Chapter 67

**A/N:** So, here's the part where I give you the usual spiel about how work is long and difficult and I'm on-call 24/7 and my weekends are spent sleeping and wishing I was sleeping and how I had a panic attack on Wednesday and I'm on a new med and I hate it and... bla, bla, you get the point. There are so many things in my life that are getting ignored at the moment because of work, but we're on the home stretch and we're headed into the last 4 weeks of on-call.

This chapter is a week-and-a-half-long effort and it's a sweet-ish, sad-ish, fluffy-ish who-knows-what. I hope you enjoy it... and I hope you'll forgive me if I save the "heavy stuff" until next time.

* * *

Dr. Standish came in the next morning, when Evie was watching the iCarly video repeatedly on their site, and pulled up the blinds. Annie was in the cafeteria getting coffee, but on the roll-away cot, Jade stirred. "Hmm?" she said.

"Good morning," Dr. Standish said to Evie and Jade.

"She won't be functional until Mom gets back with the coffee," Evie said, "but I'm fully awake."

"Good," Dr. Standish said. "I have a surprise for you."

"Is it a cake?"

"No," the doctor said. "Did you want a cake?"

"I wouldn't say _no_ to a cake," Evie said, shrugging.

"Well, it's not a cake. It's this." She fished in her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. Holding it aloft, she read it: "On this day, Tuesday the… whatever… I, Carrie Standish, MD, hereby parole Evelyn West and her sister Jade, for eighteen hours. Parole is granted on the condition that both parties return to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at the end of the day, and the condition that they both have as much fun as is humanly possible."

Evie looked at the doctor, smiling a bit quizzically. "You're… paroling us?"

"Yes," Dr. Standish said. "I'm sending you out on the town. And your mother is going to the spa at Tradewinds."

"Ooh," Evie said. "She'll love that and hate that all at once."

Jade sat up on the cot and pushed her hair out of her face. "Where are we going?"

"Well, technically you're free to go wherever you'd like," Dr. Standish said, "but I hope you'll go to The Story Garden for their lunch-time tea. It's owned by a friend of mine, and she said you'd be more than welcome."

"Sounds great," Evie said with relish.

"I thought you could use a day away," Dr. Standish said, "and I know your mother could too. I'll let you girls get ready."

At the door she paused. "And you two wouldn't know anything about a call I received this morning from the California Organ Donor Registry, would you?"

A smile twitched at Jade's lips. "How could we? We've been here, haven't we?"

"Just thought I'd ask," Dr. Standish said, amusement tweaking her tone. "They tell me we're getting calls from places not even in the United States – places I've never even _heard_ of."

"Hmm," Jade said. "Must be a full moon or something."

"That's what I thought," Dr. Standish said, and swept out of the room.

It took some serious prep time, but the girls were ready to leave the hospital a little after eleven. "Call me if there's any problems," Annie said, holding onto the van door nervously.

"_Bye_, Mom," Jade said firmly, and pulled the driver's door shut.

Annie tapped on the window. With a sigh, Jade rolled it down. "Mom, we're fine."

"Or call the hospital," Annie went on. "They'll send an ambulance if you're here in town."

"_Mom_," Evie groaned, throwing her head back dramatically against the passenger seat headrest.

"Or if the oxygen tank runs out, you can…"

"We'll see you after dinner," Jade said, and rolled up the window.

As they emerged from the parking garage, she looked over at Evie. "Was that horrible?"

"No, that was our mother. If anyone needs a spa day, it's her."

The Story Garden was located in a quaint part of town with brick-faced buildings and climbing ivy. The shops had cute names and sweet window dressing, selling everything from free-trade international crafts to boutique wines. Jade parked the van in a public parking lot and hauled Evie's equipment out of the back. Evie pushed her door open and sat for a moment, looking up at the sky. "Have you ever been to tea before?"

"Sure," Jade said as she wheeled Evie's chair around to the side of the van. "I used to go every day."

"Shut up."

"No, really. When I was little. We played tea party in the yard hundreds of times." Jade locked the brakes on the chair and helped Evie stand. "Although I hope that this time they're serving something tastier than mud pies and dandelion stalks."

"Who knows," Evie mused as she settled herself in the chair. "It could be some new fad."

"All the same, I hope not." Jade slung the suction unit and Evie's go bag over the back of the wheelchair, and shouldered the portable oxygen tank and another backpack full of supplies.

The Story Garden's front windows were full of teacups – teacups on saucers, in slightly wobbly stacks, hanging upside down like wind-chimes, even one laying in pieces like a forgotten puzzle, all adorned with ribbons and sequins and bows and tassels. The effect was whimsical but elegant.

A gentle chiming rang out as Evie and Jade entered. Jade looked up at it and realized it was an upside-down teacup, strung with teaspoons on fishing wire. As the spoons swayed and clinked together, they made a sweet, out-of-tune song.

"It smells good in here," Evie said, her eyes drawn to the glass-and-metal tea canisters lining the shelves.

The tiny shop was filled with a wide variety of things, as though its owners hadn't quite decided what they wanted it to be. There were several shelves filled with exotic-sounding types of tea. Their names tripped through Evie's mind as she read them to herself: _peach momotaro, silver needle, snow geisha, Shanghai orchid, scarlet cloud, Queen of Babylon, peachberry jasmine sutra green, golden jade, jasmine dragon, Thai mountain, monkey-picked, copper knot, temple peaks…_

As a compliment to the teas, there were additional shelves filled with what Evie considered "tea accessories." There were plenty of teacups, of course, in all shapes, sizes, and colors, with saucers and without. Other shelves held teapots, infusers, tea balls, storage tins, tea cozies, bottles of fancy organic honey, and chunky square boxes of rock sugar.

And, in what seemed like a strange departure from the drinking of hot beverages, there was shelf upon shelf of story books – lushly illustrated fairy tales, mostly.

"Evanna would love this place," Evie breathed as she stared at the goods stockpiled around them.

"So buy her something," Jade said, pausing in her perusal of rock sugar.

"Really?"

"Mom made sure we have funds," Jade said. "And Evanna's been sending us so much stuff lately, it'd be nice to return the favor, right?"

"Right," Evie agreed.

She stood up and pushed her chair over to one of the shelves of tea. Carefully she scooped out a small bag of _Queen of Babylon_ and another of _snow geisha_, and then, moving over to the green and black teas, she looked for a long moment between _Emperor's clouds and mists_ and _capital of heaven_. Unable to decide, two more small bags joined the first two.

Evie picked out a small teacup, pink and red, colored like a strawberry, and set it carefully with the little bags of tea.

"Excellent choices," a sweet, British-accented voice claimed from behind her.

Pushing up her ventilator attachments, Evie turned. A diminutive red-head stood behind her, wild red curls spilling out from behind a black velvet headband. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," the woman said, smiling. Her tone was light and friendly. "I'm Aisling. Proprietor of The Story Garden."

"Oh, you must be Dr. Standish's friend," Evie said, and stuck out her hand. "I'm Evie West."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Aisling said. "You must be friends of Carrie – she has excellent taste in tea as well. I've prepared a special table for you and your sister."

The back garden, which clearly had given The Story Garden a portion of its name, was beautiful – even more beautiful than the inside of the store. Somehow there was a lovely, tiny, perfect pocket of a garden out behind the store. The trees were hung with lanterns and white Christmas lights and wind-chimes and glass balls. In the corner a fountain was bubbling merrily, and a series of wrought iron tables were surrounded by a riot of brightly-colored flowers. Everywhere Evie looked, there seemed to be something new and beautiful, perfectly placed.

"This place looks like…"

"Don't even say it," Evie interrupted as Jade took her seat at the table.

"What?"

"You were going to say something sarcastic and rude," Evie said, propping her equipment up on the wheelchair. "And this place is so beautiful and wonderful; I don't want you to say anything to ruin it."

"I was going to say that this place looks like the place we had your sixth birthday," Jade said, giving Evie a _look_. "Don't you remember?"

Evie looked around. "No, I don't."

"You had just gotten out of the hospital," Jade said. "You'd been there for at least a month. You kept crying every time Mom left your sight. You were a spitty, snotty, mess."

"Wow, thanks."

"And we were supposed to have a big party at the house for your birthday," Jade continued, "but you were just so upset about everything that Mom decided that just the three of us would go out for a special lunch."

Aisling came out with the first tray of lunch, setting it on the table with a smile. "Enjoy," she said.

Jade took charge as the redhead disappeared back into the shop, parceling out the dishes onto the table in front of them. There were two big glasses of some sort of fizzy pink drink, accented with red-and-white-striped straws. There were sliced strawberries nestled into small cut-glass dishes. On a pink-and-white plate there were tiny macarons, the delicious little French meringue cookies with buttercream icing sandwiched in between. These ones were pastel in color – pink and green and yellow and lavender, looking like a bouquet of tulips on Easter. Another plate held two golden-brown, perfectly baked _things_ under a drizzle of creamy white icing; when Jade cut one open, it turned out to be an entire peach, cupped gently in a pastry shell.

"Oh, yum," Evie said. "Yum."

"You said it," Jade said, giving the peach pastry a critical eye. "Yum."

Evie took a generous helping of the strawberries and shoveled them into her mouth. "Tell me more about my birthday," she said around the fruit.

"We went to this place that doesn't even exist anymore," Jade said, delicately appraising the macarons. "In fact, I think it was all just a dream we had, because it was literally the prettiest place I have ever seen in my entire life. And I'm jaded and bitter."

Evie grinned.

"It looked like something out of a movie, except it was a little restaurant," Jade said. "There was some sort of creek… or a little river… or something, and there were tables with big umbrellas, and they served only cake."

She took a bite of a yellow macaron. "Well, and tea. So that's what we had."

Jade could remember it perfectly. Snotty, sobbing Evie hadn't been in the birthday party mood, but Annie had insisted. Evie had cried the entire car ride to the restaurant, and through the entire ordering process. There was the little river, and on the far side was a paddock with tiny ponies, and a carousel going around and around, rider-less, in the foreground.

And slowly Evie's sobs grew quieter, and farther apart. When the food arrived she actually wanted to sit on her own chair, instead of clinging to Annie's neck.

"It was the best cake I've ever had," Jade said. "It was the best birthday."

She smiled, a little sadly. "I can't believe you don't remember that."

The afternoon wiled away, but not in an unpleasant way. The wind-chimes in the trees sang a little tinny tune, and Aisling brought lovely desserts and bowls of cut fruit and fizzy drinks, and the sisters laughed and talked and talked and laughed.

Eventually Evie's eyelids drooped, and Jade waited until her sister was fully asleep before she tilted the wheelchair to recline, then hooked up the supplemental oxygen to Evie's trach line. When that was finished, she sat back in her wrought iron chair and propped her feet up on another chair.

Aisling came back out to take away the dishes. "Hard day, hmm?" she said quietly.

"They're all hard for her lately," Jade said honestly.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?"

"Immensely. Thank you so much," Jade said.

Aisling smiled and handed Jade a brown paper gift bag. "These are the things your sister picked out."

"Oh, how much do I owe you?" Jade started to get out of her seat, reaching for her purse.

"Not a thing," Aisling said.

"At least for lunch…?"

"No," Aisling said. "This one's on me. Feel free to stay as long as you'd like."

And they stayed for a while, Jade with her feet up on the other chair, listening to the wind going through the trees and tinkling at the wind-chimes, listening to the trickle of the fountain, and simply listening to Evie's machinery. Evie slept on, unaware that her sister was reminiscing about that long-ago birthday, one that had faded from the younger girl's memory.

For it hadn't ended there. Yes, they'd had a wonderful afternoon with tea and cake, but after that, Evie had become upset again, crying all the way home, crying all the way through her treatment, and crying herself to sleep. By the end of it, Jade had just had enough. She went out to the garage and kicked over Evie's bicycle, and then went into the backyard and threw rocks at the fence.

Kent had found her; he'd taken the rocks out of her hand and sat down with her on the deck. "I know today was difficult," he said.

"Evie's a crybaby!" Jade had yelled.

Kent, to his credit, hadn't said anything. He'd just let Jade shake with rage and yell about her sister's perpetual sadness. When she was calmer, he'd given her a hug and said, "You are so good to Evie, and you are such a good sister to let her be upset and not to say anything about it. Sometimes when she's sick, she doesn't understand that's she's going to get better. She's afraid that Mom and I might leave her. She doesn't like the hospital."

"She shouldn't have to go there anymore!" Jade had protested.

"I know, baby, and someday that'll be true," Kent had said. "But for right now, this is how things are. And I know it might be tough, but we just need to keep on loving Evie."

"I'm never going to stop loving Evie," Jade had said, wide-eyed with horror that her father would even suggest it.

"That's because you're the best big sister ever," Kent had replied.

Since then Jade had realized that Kent had been gently lying to her; there would never be a time in Evie's life that she would stop going to the hospital.

But at least one thing from that conversation was still true – Jade had never stopped loving Evie, no matter her sister's struggles.

_Everybody's got a dark side / Do you love me? / Can you love mine?_

And Evie loved Jade… just as she was.


	69. Chapter 68

**A/N:** Here's a little bit of plot and a lot of cuteness. Hopefully in the next chapter I'll get things moving... I know you'll all wait. ;)

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers - you guys make my days so much brighter!

* * *

The iCarly video set off what might have been a massive pile of fireworks. Calls to organ donation registries went up 70% in the first two weeks after it was shown. In the first two days after the video's premiere on the Web show, it was viewed more than 2 million times on the iCarly site alone. Other hosting sites like The Slap and SplashFace reported more than a million views combined. The "Find Lungs for Evie West" Facebook page had 6 million visits, with more than 1.5 million of them coming in the first 24 hours after the video's premiere.

The news reporter from Channel 6 who had done the first story on Cat's campaign did a follow-up story, reporting on the iCarly video and the uptick in Internet traffic related to organ donation in general.

Cat's Facebook album featuring celebrities who'd signed the petition grew as well. Fans from around the globe did their best to ask "local" celebrities for their signature and a picture – Adele, the members of One Direction, two dukes, six senators, Jim Parsons (Sheldon from "The Big Bang Theory"), two of the Mythbusters, a minor character from "Twilight," and celebrity chef Cat Cora signed the pledge and gave their image to the site.

_Bloom: A Journal of Pediatric Chronic Illness _interviewed Cat, Jade, and Evie. A photographer came out to Lucile Packard to take artsy shots of Evie in her hospital bed – but what he found seemed completely unusable.

"Aren't you supposed to be sick?" the photographer asked, having found Evie and Jade singing and dancing along to "Singin' in the Rain."

"Aren't you supposed to be not a jerk-face?" Jade asked in reply.

The photographer blushed. "It's just… they told me… when they said I was coming to a hospital."

"Don't be horrible, Jade," Annie said. To the photographer, she said, "Some days are better than others. And yes, they're singing and dancing… but Evie has a wheelchair parked behind her because she'll inevitably get too tired to stand up. And did you notice that she's on a ventilator? It's doing the majority of her breathing work for her."

The photographer hadn't noticed any of that. Annie took pity on the young man and gave him juice and cookies as she schooled him in cystic fibrosis and lung transplants.

The reporter who arrived a day later had already spent time interviewing Cat. "You're not going to ask me what my favorite kind of unicorn is, are you?" she asked Evie.

"There's more than one type of unicorn?" Evie looked astonished. "I thought they were all white and sparkly, with the… you know, horn."

"Your friend claims there are more than forty types of unicorns. And she showed me her scrapbook."

"That's Cat," Evie and Jade said together.

The article appeared two weeks later, and even Jade had to admit, grudgingly, that it was good.

"_In the majority of ways, 15-year-old Evie West is a typical teenager. She loves watching movies with her older sister. She spends a lot of time on Facebook. She hates biology homework but has a much easier time with her calculus class. Her favorite food is cheese pizza, and if it's Thursday, she can usually be found eating a slice or two in front of 'The Big Bang Theory.' She has a passion for art – painting and drawing most specifically – and that was her ticket into LA's prestigious Hollywood Arts High School. Movies, homework, Facebook – Evie West _is_ your typical teenager, right?_

"_Until you realize that Evie's been watching those movies and surfing Facebook from a hospital bed in Palo Alto, nearly six hours from home. Until you realize that her hospital room looks like a set from a well-regarded medical drama. Or until you realize that Evie's not typical in any regard – even among children as sick as she is._

"_Evie's 15-year struggle with cystic fibrosis (CF) has led her to this hospital room in Palo Alto, at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, where she's under the care of one of the top CF specialists in the country. For Evie, this should just be another 'tune-up,' where medical professionals do their best to get her body in its top form. Each 'tune-up' gives Evie between 2 and 6 months of optimal health, but it won't be enough._

"_The majority of CF patients succumb to respiratory infections, and, at the moment, the only cure is a double lung transplant. Although Evie has gone through hundreds of tune-ups in her life, she's hoping this will be the last one._

"'_I'm going to be on the list for lungs,' Evie says. 'Once I have them it'll be like I don't have CF anymore. It's scary and freeing all at the same time. I don't know what to expect, except that everything's going to be different. I think I like it.'_

"_Asked what she thinks of the recent blow-up of social media on her behalf, Evie grins. 'It's certainly more than I ever expected. I never asked my friends for this – the fact that they did this on their own makes it even more special. They're amazing people.'_

"_One of Evie's 'amazing people' is responsible for the biggest organ donor registry boost since the 1980's. Cat Valentine is a sweet red-head whose huge smile is shared instantly with everyone – friend or stranger. She has no insights on her methods of procuring potential organ donors; her love and concern for her friend seems to be her only motivation. 'Evie needs lungs,' she says simply. 'I had to get the word out somehow.'_

"_It started with a table, a sign, and a cooler full of juice boxes, oddly enough. Sitting on a traffic island eight blocks from Hollywood Arts High School, Cat started asking for signatures… and the public responded. On her first day as an organ donation advocate, Cat managed to get more than 10,000 people to sign her petition._

"_Since then it's grown to include Facebook pages, a Twitter feed, and a video on one of the most popular Web series, 'iCarly.' An album on the Facebook page shows celebrities who've committed to the cause; the Twitter feed provides updates to the number of people who've joined the registry._

"_The video on the iCarly site is the kind of thing most directors dream about making – the kind that encompasses, almost completely, everything that's central to this campaign. The mastermind behind the video is teenager Freddie Benson, iCarly's technical producer. 'I wanted to show that Evie is a person, not a disease. Unfortunately, the way that we had to do that was to first introduce people to her disease. Then we got to show people that Evie is an amazing person. We got to use some footage from her trip to Disney that I really liked. Great stuff.'_

"_It's great stuff that now has more than four million combined views._

"_Annie West, Evie's mother, has no problem believing in the popularity of Find Lungs for Evie West. 'Young people are looking for causes,' she says. 'They live in an age where the media's only message is to be self-centered, to think only of themselves. And, by and large, they want to reject that ideal. They know other people are worth saving, worth investing in. Of course, it probably helps that Evie's friends love her like crazy, and when passion is a key factor, it's always bound to be more successful. Anybody can put together a video, put up a Facebook page… but only certain people can love Evie. And it's __those__ people who have done all this.'_

"_She looks a little choked-up as she considers the implications this campaign, started with a girl, a table, and some juice, might have for her daughter – and for others waiting for organs. 'Obviously we never want anyone to be in a position where they have to make a decision on what to do with their loved one's organs, but the hard truth is that there are a lot of people in our country who __are__ waiting for organs. People aren't aware of the need for organs, and they blow off opportunities to donate because they're uninformed. I know that this campaign right now might not save Evie, but it will save someone. Hopefully a lot of someones.'_

"'_I have always told my daughters that they can do whatever they want, they can be whoever they want, and I know that the majority of their friends have been given the same message. It's just beautiful that the person they want to be happens to be an organ donor.'"_

"What a load of tripe," Jade grumbled as she got to the end.

"Jade!"

"Okay, okay, so it's not a load of tripe… but it doesn't get at the real heart of Evie."

"I'm right here!"

"And this article has nothing to do with you," Jade said.

"Jade," Annie said.

"It doesn't, Mom," Jade said. "They portray Evie as the sick one, and this whole article is just exposition for her illness."

"It's also about the lovely things your friends did to raise awareness in Evie's name," Annie pointed out. "Stop being so rude."

"And I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in a _hospital_, and I _am_ sick," Evie added. "Grunch."

* * *

"I'm famous!" Cat squealed when Tori hand-delivered a special edition of _Bloom_. "And so's my juice!"

True enough, one of the photos was of Cat at her sign-up table, underneath the big sign emblazoned with "Find Lungs for Evie West," holding up a juice box to someone off-camera.

"I don't think it's the kind of famous you can put on your résumé," Tori said with a laugh.

"That's okay, I don't have one of those," Cat replied blithely. "I was just going to put it on my dresser."

Happily they made their way to Sikowitz's class. The teacher was on the stage dais, one leg crossed over at the other at the knee, Mickey Mouse ears perched on his head, flipping through a copy of _Bloom_. When the girls entered he held it up and waved it around. "Did you see this? Did you _see_ this?"

"Yeah," Tori said. "I handed you that right before the mid-morning break. I said, 'I'm going to give Cat a copy of the magazine. Here, look at this one.'"

"Oh," Sikowitz said. "Well, it's quite good. I love these photographs. So realistic! Do you think they used an eye-max camera on them?"

Tori slung her backpack over a chair and took a seat. "The kind that's used to shoot movies they then show on a screen three stories high?"

"That's the one," Sikowitz said.

"Probably not."

"Too expensive?"

"Too big," Tori answered.

"Ah." The teacher returned to the magazine. "Did you notice that they didn't even _mention_ me?"

"Mm-hmm."

"An injustice, I tell you. I'm going to have to write to the publisher."

"Maybe they'll give you your own column," Tori said.

"Oh, that'd be great!" Cat exclaimed, clapping.

"I do have so much information I'd like to share with the public," Sikowitz said. "Unfortunately a great deal of it does not center around pediatric chronic illness so much as it centers around… dolphins… and collecting Depression-era glassware, so…"

"So, maybe a column in a different publication? Something more… dolphin-friendly?" Tori asked.

"That might be the ticket," Sikowitz said. "But I'm so busy lately, what with all this… _teaching_ that they seem to expect me to do."

"Such a shame," Beck said, coming in on the tail end of Sikowitz's statement.

"I _do_ have other interests, you know," Sikowitz said, and leapt to his feet. Carefully he set the magazine on his lectern.

Robbie came in, looking upset. "Did you hear that Burf's going to be in a commercial?"

"A commercial for what?" Beck asked.

Robbie slumped into a seat and set Rex on the chair next to him. "Does it matter? It's just one more opportunity I've missed out on!"

"It _might _matter," Tori said.

"Does he get to film it with cute puppies in his lap?" Cat asked. "I've always wanted to do that."

"It's for ethnic hair products," Robbie groaned.

"See, you couldn't have done that anyway," Beck said, trying to stay upbeat. "You're not… ethnic."

"I'm ethnic!" Robbie replied indignantly.

"Jewish is not the kind of ethnic they're looking for," Beck said. "There'll be other commercials, my friend."

"None with J-Squared," Robbie said.

"That's a band!" Cat said excitedly.

"It sure is," Robbie said. "And Burf's going to be in a commercial with them. What a waste."

"Considering Burf doesn't listen to anything but accordion music, I'd have to say you're right," Tori said.

"I'm famous!" Cat said to Robbie, holding up the magazine.

Robbie studied the magazine in the redhead's hands. "See, even _Cat's_ more famous than I am. And what is that… a _juice box?_ You're famous for holding a _juice box?"_

"Maybe you're just holding the wrong things," Cat suggested.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that, Strawberry Milkshake, 'cause you wouldn't like me when I'm mad," Rex said. "Now put down that magazine and let Mickey Mouse Ears teach."

Startled, Cat hurriedly sat down in her chair. Trying not to turn her head, she whispered, "_Hey, Robbie…"_

"What, Cat?" Robbie asked, still depressed from his obvious lack of ethnic hair product commercials.

"I'll give you some of my juice boxes to hold, if you want."

"No, the moment has passed."

"Well, okay. Then maybe if you're thirsty…?"

"Don't feel so bad, Robbie!" Sikowitz boomed from the dais. "I wasn't in an ethnic hair product commercial until I was twenty-six! Nowhere to go but up, my young friend – nowhere to go but up!"


	70. Chapter 69

**A/N:** I apologize again for the long break between chapters. This time I can't blame work - my computer died. I will have to get a new one and get my data transferred off the old hard drive, but unfortunately I am moving home at the end of the week and so that will have to wait. For now I am writing on my work machine.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I think I've got six more chapters (bringing the total to 75) and then this story will be done... not to worry, though, we'll go straight into the sequel. :)

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You guys are great!

* * *

It was so small as to be inconsequential, nearly. Smaller than a bread-box, smaller than a TV remote, maybe even smaller than the new Pear Phone, if you held it right. Flat black, two buttons, small display screen. Nothing that technology hadn't improved upon more than fifty times in the past ten years.

And yet contained in its wires and microchips, plastic covering and digital output was the potential to save a life. Change a life. Transform a life completely.

It was funny how so many things were like that – bland, blunt, impotent – but with inner meaning hidden mere fractions of an inch away.

As they drove out of the hospital parking lot Evie fingered the beeper at her waistband. A little diode on one end let her know it was activated; it would blink on and off, all day every day, every four seconds, until the phone call came. Until the beeper vibrated with her lungs, she and that diode were connected as intimately as a ribbon wrapped around a gift.

"Stop playing with it," Jade said. "You're not going to make it go off by touching it."

"I'm also _not_ going to make it go off by _not_ touching it," Evie pointed out.

"Shut up."

"Mom, Jade told me to shut up."

"Jade."

"I'm just saying, she shouldn't play with it. What if the battery dies and they get lungs and…"

"I've been wearing the beeper for twenty minutes! I'm not even the first one on the list!" Evie protested.

"I have the charger right here," Annie said, patting her tote bag. "So Jade, stop baiting your sister."

Evie turned around and stuck her tongue out. Jade pretended to be very interested in a display of photos on her Pear Phone.

In truth she was terrified, had been ever since Evie had accepted the beeper from Dr. Standish. It looked so plain and boring – Jade had been expecting something with some glitz, some glitter. It should have at least glowed. But instead it looked like a prop from a late 90's movie; the important was all assumed. As it sat in Evie's hand Jade couldn't take her eyes from it. Right there was Evie's hope, _their_ hope. In a single second it could be thrown to the floor, smashed into pieces, the battery eaten by a stray dog or some other farce of nature.

Evie seemed so casual about it. Didn't she understand?

Jade flicked through some photos from Burf's commercial shoot. Yes, of course Evie understood. They all understood.

It was all so _fragile_, at this point.

* * *

Spring turned into summer, as those things usually do. Evie spent her time at Cat's organ donation awareness booth, handing out juice boxes. After they finished their daily hours, they would walk over to Hollywood Arts – conveniently located just a few blocks from the traffic circle where Cat preferred to raise awareness – and watch whatever production was being rehearsed in the Black Box Theater. A local theater company had rented it out for the summer and was putting on several different shows, each of which rehearsed on a different day.

Ms. Santiago was in one of the shows, playing the role of Spinning Jenny in _The Dueling Pianos_. Sikowitz was involved in a variety of the shows, painting scenery and fixing costumes and doing some of the music and blocking. He was always happy to see Cat and Evie, and more often than not put them to work.

Evie was glad for the respite from "real life." Being backstage at the rehearsals gave her time away from the constant reminder of the beeper clipped to her waistband. She didn't have to think about some nameless, faceless stranger with her blood type who was still living but who, at any moment, could be involved in some horrible, horrible accident that would lead, indirectly but not so indirectly, to a message being sent to that little piece of plastic attached at her hip, ending their life but giving her a new chance at hers. Instead she could just focus on the ruffles of a skirt as she fed them through a sewing machine, or of the drip of paint on a brush as she limned a tree.

It was a perfect summer in Los Angeles, the kind of summer that invites in gelato eating, days at the beach, wading, staying up late, and watching movies at the drive-in theater, napping on the porch swing, and reading. The West house was full of friends day and night; it wasn't unusual to find a handful of girls camped out on the living room floor. Annie seemed to spend her days baking batch after batch of cookies.

Sikowitz had his birthday and invited his students out to a new restaurant called The Peruvian Chalice, which somehow integrated Peruvian food in a Middle Ages setting. The effect was extremely unnerving.

"I wanted to go somewhere where I'd be king for a day!" Sikowitz said as he sat at the head of the table, enjoying some tamales. "And besides, I enjoy Peruvian food."

"Only you could find this place, dear," Ms. Santiago said, giving him a kiss.

Sikowitz might have blushed, but it could have been the dim lighting and the tankard of _pisco_, a Peruvian brandy, in his hand.

"Presents! Presents!" Robbie and Cat chanted as Sikowitz took a long swig of _pisco_.

"I have presents?" Sikowitz looked genuinely surprised.

"Of course, silly," Ms. Santiago said. "It's your birthday, isn't it?"

Robbie went first. "These are from me and Rex," he said, handing Sikowitz a flat package.

It was an envelope full of new plays. Sikowitz whistled appreciatively as he flipped through them. "_Half a Thought for Harry… Indigo Skies… The Cross-Eyed Troubadour… _Robbie, you've really outdone yourself! Now I'll have something to read in the bath tub!"

Cat passed forward an intricately-wrapped package with a riot of brightly-colored bows atop it. "I made this for you special," she said.

It took Sikowitz a few minutes to get into it, but when he did he pulled out a seeming treasure trove of gifts: a travel coffee mug and a white T-shirt, emblazoned with Evie's smiling face and the legend "I Support the Find Lungs for Evie West Campaign," as well as a bag of chocolate-covered espresso beans, two Kit-Kat bars, and a box of crayons. "Well, Cat," Sikowitz said, looking over the gifts, "I can truly say that this is the most… _eclectic_ box of gifts I've ever received."

Cat beamed. "I'm so glad you like it!"

Andre and Tori had chipped in and bought Sikowitz and Ms. Santiago tickets to a new musical, _The (Mostly True) Adventures of Marco Polo_, which was showing at the Red Bramble Theater.

Beck had a new set of love beads. "Mmm," the teacher said as he sniffed the air appreciatively. "Sandalwood, unless my nostrils do deceive me…?"

"Sandalwood," Beck agreed.

"Delicious," Sikowitz said, and slipped them over his head.

Jade had a handful of coupons for Waffle Bouquets. "Buy one get one free," she said as she handed them to Sikowitz.

"It's a shame more foods aren't eaten on sticks," Sikowitz said, and took a long swig of _pisco_.

Finally it was Evie's turn. She carefully set a pink bakery box on the table and pushed it gently towards SIkowitz.

"From Art of the Tart?" Sikowitz breathed, leaning forward.

Evie smiled.

Sikowitz's fingers practically danced as he undid the twine wrapped around the box. With a careful, practiced movement he lifted the lid. "Oh, my," he said. "This is… _exquisite_."

He looked up. "How did you know that my favorite dessert is a chocolate _éclair?"_

"A little bird told me," Evie said with a smile.

Sikowitz removed the dessert pan from the box, displaying a large, lovely chocolate _éclair_ with birthday candles stuck in it. Fancy scrolled writing on the top of the _éclair_ read "Happy Birthday Sikowitz!"

"I can't think of a better night," Sikowitz said, smiling at his assembled students. "_Éclair_ and Peruvian food… all of my favorite students, my favorite sweetheart – this night is amazing."

"Hear, hear," Ms. Santiago said, beaming. "Let's light those candles, what do you say?"

She lit the candles and Sikowitz's eyes danced in the radiance. Robbie led the group in "Happy Birthday," on which the serving wenches and ale boys joined in merrily. One of the serving wenches presented Sikowitz with a gold plastic crown, and it bobbed on his head like a boat on the sea.

When the last note of "Happy Birthday" died away, Sikowitz blew out the candles to a round of applause. Ms. Santiago helped cut the _éclair_ into pieces and distributed them around the table.

Evie picked at her _éclair_, still smiling as she watched her friends enjoy the evening. Beck gave Jade a kiss on the cheek, and, laughing, Jade turned to her sister. "This is also a sort of birthday for you," she said.

"Hmm?" Evie asked, taking a bite of dessert.

"It's three months today you've been wearing your beeper," Jade said.

"Three months and not even a false alarm," Evie said, rolling her eyes. "It could be years."

"And it could be tomorrow," Jade said. "Have faith."

"I'm sorry, did you just tell me to 'have faith'? What have you done with my sister? You're clearly a pod person from another planet," Evie said.

Jade laughed. "It just seems like the kind of night where anything could be possible."

On Evie's hip, the device started beeping. "See what you did?" Evie groused, grabbing for it. "It's dying. Great! Where's an outlet I can plug it into…?"

Jade grabbed the beeper from her hand. "That's not the low-battery signal," she said, feeling like the world was dropping out from under her. "That's…"

Evie had seen the screen. "Oh! Oh, my God! Oh, my God - it's… it's…!"

Jade's hands were shaking as she took the beeper from Evie, reading the screen just to be sure. "Call Dr. Standish. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, 7 hours."

Evie bolted out of her chair. "Call Mom! Call Mom!" she yelled at Jade.

The group was staring at them now. "What's wrong?" Tori asked worriedly.

Beck grabbed for Jade's phone, which was on the table between them, and started punching in numbers.

"It's… it's…" Evie could barely get the words out. "It's…!"

Jade waved the beeper at them, also unable to speak. Her heart felt like it was racing and her eyes were filling up with tears. "It's our miracle!"


	71. Chapter 70

**A/N:** Here we go, guys, it's the beginning of the end! Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up. My computer died completely and then I had to move twice. I'm in my "final" home (at least for the next 9 months) and I have a brand spanking new computer that's amazing, so I think this will move a lot faster. Thanks for being so patient. Enjoy!

* * *

Tick, tock.

Feeds stopped. Bags packed. Breathless with excitement – well, that, and the disease.

The disease that will, after tonight, be nothing in their lives but a faded memory.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

That kind of night.

Evie was in the back of the van, crying. Her chest hurt and she knew it was stupid to cry, but there she was anyway, sobbing like the night after she dreamed she'd died. It hurt in the same way, which was hard to explain. That dream had been almost as real as this night was, strange and imperfect but oh-so-realistic.

"Stop crying," Jade ordered, gripping the arms of the captain's chair. "Stop it, Evie."

"Mm-hmm, we'll be there as soon as we can," Annie said into the phone. "Yes. Feeds are stopped and the prophylactic antibiotics are going in." A pause. "What? No, she's crying."

Another pause, and then Annie handed the phone back to Jade. "Pass that to Evie. It's Dr. Standish."

Jade thrust the phone out at Evie. Evie hiccupped and sniffled, and held the phone up to her ear. "What?"

Dr. Standish's voice was warm and reassuring. "I know you're scared, Evie," she said.

"I am not,"Evie protested.

"It's all right to be scared," Dr. Standish said. "In fact, it's perfectly natural. I remember when Emilie was going in for her transplant… she couldn't stand the idea of having someone else's organs in her body. It's a huge invasion of privacy."

Evie sniffled.

"But it's an invasion of privacy that's going to make your life so much easier. So much healthier. It's a huge invasion of privacy but it's going to set you free."

Evie hiccupped and then began to sob again.

"Give her this," Annie said tensely to Jade, and passed back a bottle of Snapple. "And this," she added, giving Jade a small white pill. "Give me the phone back."

Jade gave the Snapple and the pill to Evie, and, still hiccupping, the girl swallowed it.

"Yes, anti-anxiety meds are onboard," Annie said into the phone. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

"Good," Dr. Standish said. "The lungs will be here very soon, and I'll go down to make sure the tissue match is correct. I don't mean to get your hopes up…"

"Please," Annie said. "Please get our hopes up."

"… but there's a very good chance that these will be Evie's new lungs."

"We'll see you soon," Annie said.

Jade looked back at Evie, who was chewing on a strand of her hair and breathing heavily over the ventilator. "Evie, Evanna wouldn't want you to cry. Evanna thinks you're so brave."

Evie's sobbing got softer, and she brought up her wrist with the Patronus bracelet on it, close enough that it clacked against her ventilator tubing.

"And I think you're so brave," Jade went on. "And Kermit thinks you're brave."

She reached into one of the suitcases and pulled out Evie's Kermit the Frog doll, which she set on the seat next to her sister. "We all think you're brave."

Evie wrapped her arms around Kermit, and closed her eyes.

* * *

"What do you think they do with the old lungs?" Robbie asked, hanging on for dear life. Sikowitz was a pro at a lot of things, but driving wasn't one of them.

"It's probably where Lady Gaga gets her purses," Rex cracked.

"That's gross," Cat said fiercely to the puppet, her fingers flying over the touch screen of her Pear Phone.

"Who are you texting at this hour?" Tori wanted to know.

"Everyone!" Cat said, as though it should have been obvious. "Everybody on Facebook and The Slap and Twitter. Everybody who signed up or got a juice box or donated money so that Evie could get lungs. They need to know!"

"I should say they do," Sikowitz said. He had pulled on his new Find Lungs For Evie West T-shirt over his birthday vest.

"Somebody should call the iCarly gang," Andre suggested. "They can get it out to everyone who saw Evie's video."

"On it," Beck said.

"You know, dear," Ms. Santiago said to SIkowitz, "your van was never made to do the Kessel Run in three parsecs…"

"Nor did the Millennium Falcon have shag carpeting!" Sikowitz said broadly.

"You guys, look what I just found," Tori said. "It's Burf's hair commercial!"

She held up her Pear Phone and the crazy atmosphere in the van shifted immediately to one of focused attention.

Burf was on-camera sitting in a lushly landscaped garden. Sandwiched between a naked Cupid statuette and a burbling water fountain, he wore a pale green button-down and a look of something between confusion and smoldering seduction. "Has your hair been neglected lately? Are you ashamed o fthat messy 'fro?"

"I never thought I'd say this, but Burf has some sort of odd… eye thing going on," Tori said, "and he looks almost cute."

"It's the lighting," Cat said knowledgeably. "The lights they have for TV can make anyone look good."

"… then you'll find what you've been missing in the new formula of Byrd's Aromatic Hair Product for Men," Burf went on. He stood up and began walking through the garden, the camera following him. "Its gentle formulation is designed for all types of hair. You'll find it increases your volume, tames your wild ends, and gives you that extra something."

He ran his hand approvingly over his hair, then turned; the camera panned over to where J-Squared was set up in a gazebo. "If you use Byrd's Aromatic Hair Product for Men, you might just find that your hair has… soul."

With that, the band started playing their hit, "Broad-Shouldered Lay-day."

"That actually wasn't terrible," Robbie said.

"I might even have to buy some of that stuff," Andre said.

"And Burf looked like he knew what he was doing," Tori added.

"And he didn't have a pepper!" Cat agreed.

"He's probably getting tons of Slap messages from hot girls," Robbie said, suddenly dejected.

"They've probably crashed his inbox," Beck said, trying to stay upbeat. "He probably can't even check his email."

Robbie brightened a little at that. "Oh. Well, there is that."

"The iCarly gang says they'll get the message out," Beck reported as his phone beeped.

"And one of the co-mods on the Facebook page is going to spread the word," Cat added.

"Now we've just got to get there safely," Ms. Santiago said, gripping the edges of her seat.

"Never fear, my dear," Sikowitz said.

"Could you slow down while you say that?"

* * *

The world got very bright and very fast as soon as they entered the hospital. Once the charge nurse had seen the still-beeping pager, she rushed them away to a surgical suite. Evie was hurried into a shower and given a special soap.

"Don't miss a spot," the nurse ordered. "Then put on these two gowns, one facing backwards and the other forwards. Put your hair up in a bun and take off any jewelry."

At that one Evie started. "But… my bracelet," she said to Jade as Jade cranked the shower on. "I can't take it off. It's good luck."

"We'll figure something out," Jade promised. "Get in the shower."

Evie heaped her medical equipment on the bench outside the shower, and then pulled herself off the vent. Her breaths were quick and slurpy as she focused on scrubbing. "I can't… take it off. I haven't… taken it… off… since Evanna… gave it… to me."

"I said we'll figure something out," Jade said. "Just hurry up and scrub so you can get back on the ventilator."

"Don't… tell me… what to do!" Evie protested, sucking in a rattling, mucusy breath.

"Fine," Jade said. "Then suffocate in the shower."

Annie knocked gently on the bathroom door. "I'm going to sign consent forms," she said, "and call your father to update him. How's the shower?"

"Wet," Evie slurped.

"Get her back on the vent," Annie said. "And for God's sake, Evie, suction yourself out."

With that Annie was gone from the door.

"This doesn't bring out the best in anybody, does it?" Jade wondered rhetorically.

After the shower, Jade helped Evie into her two gowns. A nurse came in with a bouffant cap. "Wait," Jade said as the nurse was preparing to leave. "Could she… could we put something in her cap?"

The nurse looked as though she'd just been asked for permission to bring a snake into the operating room. "Um, I guess so?"

"Good," Jade said. She grabbed Evie's hairbrush and quickly combed Evie's hair back into a neat bun. Then she removed Evie's Patronus bracelet and threaded it onto one of the bouffant cap's ties, securing it with a tight bow. "Now it can go with you."

Annie reappeared. "Your father's at the airport," she said. "He'll be here in an hour."

More nurses and respiratory therapists popped in and out, giving instructions and performing treatments. One nurse hooked Evie up to IV fluids and medications through her central line.

"It's all going so fast," Evie said, weakly protesting as a nurse helped her onto the gurney. "Mom, it's going so fast."

"I know, sweetheart," Annie said. "You are such a brave girl."

Jade snuck a glance at her phone; it was filling up with text messages and voice mails. "Everybody's getting the word out," she said. "There's a million people out there thinking about you right now."

"I don't know any of them," Evie said. "I don't know them."

"You know us," Annie said. "And we're the most important."

She looked over at the nurse, who was preparing a syringe with medication. "Did you give her the sedative yet?"

"Just went in," the nurse said, giving Annie a smile. "She's going to be out in a bit, so say your see-you-laters."

Annie took Evie's hand and kissed it. "My beautiful sweet girl," she said. "I know that you are in the best possible hands. Dr. Standish knows what we're going through, and she will keep you safe until we can see you again. I love you so much."

"You're silly," Evie said, giving Annie a woozy smile. "You're my silly mommy."

"I love you, Evie." Annie kissed Evie on the forehead. "Come back to me safe."

Two orderlies came to the door of the suite. "We're ready," one of them said.

"Bye, Evie," Jade said.

"Jade," Annie said quickly.

"See you later, Evie," Jade said.

"And you're pretty," Evie said.

The orderlies came over to roll Evie down to the operating room. Jade threw her arms around Evie and squeezed tightly. Her heart felt like it would pop out of her chest and she forced herself not to cry. "Say hi to God for me," Jade said, "or whoever it is that you see when you're knocked out."

"You can wait in the fifth floor holding area," one of the orderlies said as they rolled Evie out of the room. "One of the operating nurses will give you updates periodically."

"Thank you," Annie said.

In the fifth floor waiting room they checked in with the charge nurse. The room was strangely full for so late at night; Jade was astonished to realize that it was full of her friends. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Wouldn't be a party without us," Beck said, and gave her a kiss.

"We just thought we'd move the party to the hospital," Sikowitz said. "It is my birthday, you know. I'm entitled to it."

"Thank you so much for coming," Annie said, and tears filled her eyes.

"We're here for you," Ms. Santiago said. "At the very least, we figured we could brighten up your evening a little."

"They say it'll be about six hours," Annie said, "so I'm really grateful for all your support."

* * *

_Hour One_

"Did we bring any of the _éclair_ with us?" Sikowitz asked Santiago.

"No, we left it for the serving wenches," Ms. Santiago said.

"Darn."

"But I have nut bars in my backpack," Ms. Santiago said.

"I'll wait," Sikowitz said.

"I know it's not the same."

"Well, of course it's not the same."

"You don't have to eat one," Ms. Santiago said.

"I said I'd think about it!"

* * *

_Hour Two_

"Dr. Standish?" Evie asked. "Aren't you supposed to be… out there? Operating on me?"

"Oh, I am," Dr. Standish said. "This is just your perception of me."

"Oh. Um, well, good job."

"It's going very well, Evie," Dr. Standish said. "It's like these lungs were made for you."

"If these lungs were made for me, we never would have met."

"It's funny how philosophical one gets when one is unconscious, isn't it?"

* * *

_Hour Three_

"I suppose I'll… have one of those nut bars," Sikowitz said to Ms. Santiago, trying to sound smooth.

"A nut bar for a nut bar. How poetic," Santiago said.

"Hey, you guys," Robbie said. "Burf's hair commercial has more than 750,000 views already!"

* * *

_Hour Four_

"And if I don't make it, please tell my mother that I am so appreciative for everything she's done for me… and tell my dad that he's my hero. And tell Jade…"

"Evie," Dr. Standish said gently, "you know this isn't real. You know I don't have the power to tell anyone these things. You'll just have to wake up and tell them yourself."

"I left my will at home," Evie said as though she had not heard. "It's in the top drawer of my desk. Make sure if I don't… if I don't…"

"You _will_," Dr. Standish said.

* * *

_Hour Five_

"This is it," Kent whispered to Annie, clutching her hand. "Fifteen years of struggle and sickness and fifteen years of waiting for her to die…"

"And now we're waiting for her to live," Annie finished, giving him a smile. "It's odd, isn't it?"

"Odd?" Kent asked. "I wouldn't say it's odd. I'd say it's… _liberating_."

* * *

_Hour Six_

"Dear God, I'm not entirely sure you exist," Jade murmured, "but we've been in this waiting room for almost six hours and the entire time I know you've kept Evie in your hands. I know that you are always with the doctors and the nurses and the anesthesiologists and everybody else who's with Evie, but I just want to remind you that she's still in there, and she's still with you, and she's still my sister, and all I want is for her to wake up and _breathe._

"And if you exist, I know that you're going to give Evie the chance to do exactly that."


	72. Chapter 71

**A/N: **Thank you so much to all of my reviewers! You guys (and gals) are fantastic!

Now that we're close to the end of this story, things seem to be just jumping out of my fingertips. I'm so excited for the end of this story and the beginning of the sequel. It's going to be a wild ride, but it's all going to be worth it, I promise.

Enjoy!

* * *

_She's going to look a little rough_. Dr. Standish's words echoed through Jade's head as she paced the ICU corridor. _You can see her in twenty minutes, but she's going to look a little rough_.

There were other words, less useful words. _Crashed twice. Lost eight units of blood at first. Stabilized. Crashed again. Some sort of a miracle we got her back. Need to keep her in the ICU to watch for seizures._

Jade stopped and turned towards the wall, trying not to cry. She rested her head against the cool wall and for a moment let tears run down her face.

"We had a deal, God," she whispered. "We had a deal."

She had let her parents go in first to see Evie, unwilling to be in the room when her mother saw Evie for the first time. Something inside her hard, black heart knew that she would break into a million little pieces if she had to watch Annie go through that.

Six hours in the surgical waiting room had been kind to no one, except possibly for Cat. The redhead probably could have gone through a category-five hurricane and still come out on the other side smiling. But everyone else was drooping. Sikowitz's birthday party hat had become crumpled underfoot. Robbie and Andre were asleep, Robbie leaning on Andre's shoulder and drooling on his plaid shirt. At some point Tori had gotten up to look out the window and stood there, motionless, for two hours.

It was hardest on Annie and Kent, though; Jade knew this as she watched their faces. After each successive update from the operating room, their hopes seemed to be dwindling. When the charge nurse reported that Evie had crashed two times on the table, Annie buried her face in Kent's shoulder and sobbed.

"I want it to be over," she repeated as she punched her thigh rhythmically, angrily. "I want it to be over. She shouldn't have to suffer."

"She's stable now, and they're proceeding with the operation," the charge nurse said. "Her heart rate and oxygenation saturation levels have come back up beautifully. I'll update you again when I know more."

Kent wrapped his arms around Annie. "Shh, my love. Evie is strong."

"Evie is a strong mind living in a wrecked body!" Annie cried in anguish. "Maybe this is a sign, Kent, maybe this means we're supposed to let her go…"

At this Kent had grabbed Annie's shoulders and held her upright. "You listen to me," he said in a voice so low that Jade knew she was the only one who could hear it. "We fight as long as Evie fights. That's the deal. That's how it's always been, Annie. Say it with me."

Annie sobbed.

"Say it with me, Annie," Kent prodded.

"CF is rough but we are tough," Annie cried. "I'm tired of being tough!"

"Shh," Kent said, and Jade could see that his own eyes were filled with tears.

Now she stood outside Evie's PICU cubicle staring at her black boots, wishing the same thing. Nobody should have to be so tough, for so long, with so few results.

The curtain to Evie's cubicle was drawn open, and Annie and Kent came out. Kent had his arm around Annie. With a somewhat-forced smile on his face, Kent said, "Go in and see her."

_She looks rough_. Dr. Standish's words came back to Jade.

"Okay," Jade said.

"I'm going to take your mother across the street to the Ronald McDonald House," Kent went on, "and then I'll come back for you. Your friends are going to stay in the Motel 12 a couple blocks away."

"Okay," Jade repeated.

"Jadey," Annie said, and reached up for her older daughter's face. "Jadey, don't tell her…"

"Shh, Annie," Kent said. "You're very tired. It's been a long day. Let's get back to the room and you can sleep for a little while."

"Jadey, don't tell her how bad she looks," Annie continued, as though she had not heard Kent.

"I won't, Mom," Jade promised, and watched her parents slowly walk down the hall towards the elevator.

When they had gone she twitched aside the curtain and peeked into Evie's little cubicle. The bed was ringed with monitors, life support equipment, and IV trees; tubes and wires spiraled outward from the girl on the bed.

Jade wasn't sure what she'd been preparing herself for. On one hand, Evie looked terrible. She had several peripheral IVs running into the crooks of her arms and between her toes, as well as the central catheter branching out of her Hickman line. A slim catheter ran out from beneath her covers, draining into a urinary collection bag. Two other fat plastic tubes, inserted into either side of Evie's chest at approximately "lung height" were draining to either side of the bed, dumping pleural fluid out of Evie's chest cavity.

And at the same time, Evie looked peaceful. Her face was unmarred by a breathing tube, since all of her respiratory support was going through her tracheostomy. Only a slim NG tube hooked behind one ear and dropped gracefully down her left nostril. Her eyes were closed, but the nurses had removed the surgical gauze and tape that had kept them shut during the surgery. And the crisp white sheet covered Evie's lower half, while crisp white bandages covered the surgery site.

Jade sank down into the chair at Evie's bedside. "I read this story the other day," she said without pretext, "about organ recipients who took on characteristics of their donors. Mostly heart transplants, but there was one guy in New Jersey who got a cornea transplant and suddenly became a master architect and artist. I thought you'd find that cool. I wonder if you're going to wake up somebody else. I hope it's something out of this world, like an airline pilot. Or a handball player. I've never understood handball."

She shifted in her seat and watched as Evie's chest rhythmically went up and down, following the ventilator's lead. "Did you talk to God while you were in there? I talked to God while you were in there. And I wasn't even sure God existed. I'm still not sure.

"Oh, man, Evie, you should see all the support that's coming in off the Internet. Cat's Facebook page and the Twitter she set up for her campaign to find you lungs – the stuff that's getting posted makes me cry. The iCarly gang has been getting video messages from all around the world. It crashed their site at one point.

"Do you want me to read you some? I saved some of the best ones.

"Okay, here's Eloise, from Santa Fe. 'Dear Evie, I am seventy-two years old and I am not much for the computer. My grandson keeps trying to teach me how to do different things but I told him all I wanted to do was read your website. You are so beautiful and brave, and tonight when I read you were getting your lungs I jumped up and down and danced with my neighbor Rose. We are sending you lots and lots of prayers from Happy Hollow Retirement Village in Santa Fe. I hope it is okay that I am a Methodist and Rose is Jewish. It's all the same God anyway, right? Love your oldest fan, Eloise G.'

"Bethany K. from Little Rock, Arkansas. 'Evie – my younger sister Lila died from CF when she was twenty-one. I still miss her every day. I have asked everyone in my church to pray for you. God bless you. Love, Bethany, and all the members of Holly Springs Baptist Church.'

"Saul from Oregon. 'Evie – I work as a campaign director for the state-wide organ donor registry. Over the past months I have heard your name more frequently than any other, usually in reference to the overwhelming increase we've had in new additions to the registry. Thank you to you and your friends for getting the message out. Breathe easy!'

"Christianna from Oslo. 'Evie – My English is not very good, but I will write here to say that you have my heart. You are very special. I hope your new lungs are great and you will have many adventures. Love to you, your family, and the strange little redhead girl who set up the site. Your friend in Norway, Christianna.'

"The Meyers Family in Ohio. 'Evie – We have two young children with CF (as well as three older without) and have always been concerned about what their lives will be like. Through this website we have learned that older kids with CF still lead fulfilling, promising lives. We have always been scared to put them into school programs or to take them on trips because we were concerned about the health effects. Tonight when we learned that you were getting your lungs, we decided that we would take all of our kids to Disney World at Christmas-time. Thank you for helping us to see the possibilities in what can be a scary, lonely life. To Evie's parents and sister, teachers, and friends – Thank you for celebrating such a wonderful young woman. To Cat – Your site has given us hope. Our son set up a juice box table at his school during a high school basketball game and more than 200 people signed up to become organ donors. With love and gratitude from the Meyers Family (Ron, Tracy, Megan, Cort, Rilee, Jimmy, and Patrick).'

"Someone with the screen name LittlePrince. 'Evie – tonight our band is playing a show in Dallas. It will be the first time we play a song we wrote for you after hearing about the campaign to find you lungs. I think it's fitting that the first time we play the song will be on the night you received your lungs. I have included the YouTube link and a download link for the MP3. We call it "Song for A Drowning Girl." Keeping you in our prayers – the six members of LittlePrince (Adam, Keith, Hunter, Ryan, Jericho, and Amelia).'

"I couldn't get the song to link up here," Jade said, a bit apologetically, "but Beck saved it to his Pear Phone and I'll have it for you in the morning. It's really beautiful, for what it's worth, although I'm sure that me attempting to describe a song isn't beautiful at all."

She flicked through a few more messages on her phone, and then set it on the end of Evie's bed. "And when you wake up, we'll show you all the pictures. It's crazy, the kind of people you're inspiring. Hippies from San Francisco and Mennonites from Canada and two rabbis from New York and… well, you'll just have to wake up to see. It's a little odd and a little flattering to be connected to someone who's so… _famous_."

Jade thought she saw movement at that last sentence, and Evie's heart monitor gave a little _blip_ as her heart rate increased. But seconds later it returned to normal, and Jade sank down lower in her chair. She was so tired. Surely it wouldn't hurt to close her eyes for just a second…

* * *

When she awoke twenty minutes later it was with a sense of shock and confusion. The room was unfamiliar, the lights harsh and blinding, the machines grinding along because no one had given them permission to stop. On the bed Evie lay very still. In her lap Jade's phone was beeping and flashing like crazy; more and more messages were piling up from Twitter, Facebook, and The Slap.

"You were supposed to wake me up," Jade said, feeling pins and needles running up and down her legs. She blinked in the lights and pushed herself upright. The cubicle was still empty. Kent had apparently not returned from the Ronald McDonald House.

Jade yawned and stood up. "I'm going to head out and see if I can find Dad," she said to Evie. "Hopefully he's just slamming coffees like he was that time Pap-Pap was in surgery for his bypass. That's a safe beverage, right?"

She leaned over to kiss Evie. Evie's cheek was dry, rough, and a little cool. "Good night, Gooey Lungs," Jade said. "Or, I guess I can't call you that anymore… hmm. Not-So-Gooey-Lungs it is."

She smiled and walked carefully, quietly, out of the cubicle, letting the curtain drop behind her.

Jade had walked only fifteen or twenty feet when alarms started blaring. She turned around, jerking the curtain open to Evie's cubicle.

On the bed, her sister was writing, convulsing, her limbs jerking spastically. Tubes and wires frantically danced along with her, the alarms providing a bizarre soundtrack to the seizure.

"_Help!"_ Jade screamed, unable to process what she was seeing before her. "Oh, God, _help!"_

Nurses starting pouring into the cubicle, barking out orders in quick medical jargon. Dr. Standish and another doctor Jade had never seen arrived seconds later.

"Heart rate is 204!"

"Blood pressure's 80 over 50!"

"Oxygen's down to 65%!"

"Crank the 02 and somebody get the phenobarb onboard!" the other doctor shouted.

"Suction, suction!"

"Let's get her pressure back up!"

Someone grabbed Jade. "You need to wait outside," the nurse said.

"No! Evie!" Jade protested. Words seemed to be failing her.

"Please, just wait outside," the nurse repeated, and gently but not-so-gently shoved Jade out into the hallway.

She crashed against the same wall where she had stared at her boots and cried earlier. Her chest hurt and she was shaking as she sank to the ground.

All of the words she'd read Evie earlier flashed through her mind. What good were comments from Eloise in Santa Fe and Saul in Oregon and the Meyers Family in Ohio? None of them could save Evie.

"Come on, her pressure's in the toilet!"

"Call the crash team!"

And for that matter, what good was any of Cat's work? Or their trip to Disney World? Or, really, in being alive?

It was the promise Evie had extracted from Jade the summer things had gone so screwy – from her hospital bed, oxygen beneath her nose, Evie had stared blatantly at the bandages on Jade's wrists and begged with her, _pleaded_ with her, never to do something like that again. It was a promise Jade had kept, but with an unspoken caveat.

_If anything ever happens to Evie, I won't…_

She didn't want to finish that sentence. But with the alarms of the PICU blaring like a London air raid drill, Jade felt closer to complete destruction than she ever had before.

And as she beat her head unconsciously against the wall, she took up her silent plea:

_God, we had a deal._

_God, please save her._

_God – _

… _it's all up to you now._


	73. Chapter 72

**A/N: **Here's another chapter. I think this is the fastest I've ever updated, but I'm okay with it because I can't wait to give you more.

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! Enjoy!

* * *

The code seemed to go on for hours. Jade pressed her hands to her ears and rocked back and forth, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. She wanted to be anywhere, _anywhere_.

Finally two things got her attention.

The first was the vibration of a phone in her pocket. Her own phone was on the tile floor next to her, so she reached confusedly into her pocket, only to pull out Evie's phone. A text message from Evanna was on the screen: _I hope you are breathing happy. I'll be in LA Friday and I'm coming to see you! I know the magic is in your new lungs. Love, Evanna._

The second was the absence of sound. The blaring alarms, the shouting medical personnel - all was quiet.

Under the silence Jade could hear Evie's heart monitor _bleep_ing along regularly, and as her own phone skittered away across the tile floor she regained some feeling in her chest.

Dr. Standish pushed the curtain aside and walked over to Jade. Jade tried to push herself off the floor, to look the doctor in the eye, but her legs were far too wobbly.

"Don't worry," Dr. Standish said. "I'm not sure how I'm standing either."

_Not exactly the most reassuring thing to hear a __doctor__ say_, Jade thought.

"She had a five minute seizure," Dr. Standish went on.

"Only five minutes?" Jade asked, halfway between incredulous and sarcastic. It had seemed to go on forever; she was nearly positive that at least an hour had passed.

"We got her back," Dr. Standish said.

At that moment Kent reappeared, stepping out of the elevator. Dr. Standish moved towards him, her words becoming technical jargon once more – _five-minute seizure, necessitated phenobarbital paralysis, basically comatose, perform scans to find possible blood clots…_ The two of them were immediately covered in an umbrella of foreign language. Neither of them would have seen Jade even if she had been on fire.

Jade pushed herself upright and put her phone back into her pocket without bothering to check who the last message was from. She did not look back as she walked into the elevator, rode it down to the ground floor, and stepped out of the hospital into the early morning light.

* * *

In the Motel 12 (slogan: "Twice as good as Motel 6!") hotel room she was sharing with Cat and Ms. Santiago, Tori sat at the desk, looking out the window towards the hospital. It was too far to see it, but that didn't matter. The hospital exuded an energy that would have drawn Tori from underground.

Cat and Ms. Santiago had both fallen asleep. Cat had her phone clutched in her hand, and though it beeped and vibrated she did not wake. Ms. Santiago slept with one arm over her head, and even in sleep Tori could tell she was thinking of Evie; the art teacher's face was pinched and worried.

Tori had a pen and a pad of the hotel's paper set in front of her. She had started by drawing some geometric proofs on the paper; they were the first thing that came to her mind and for some reason they moved easily from her brain down to her fingertips. It wasn't what she had wanted, but the lines and angles juxtaposed themselves neatly against the lines of the paper.

Then her hand moved rhythmically into a circle, pressing harder and harder until the ballpoint of the pen nearly tore the page. Just when the paper was about to rip, she would pick her hand up, move it to another spot, and start circling all over again.

Being in the surgery waiting room had filled Tori's mind with words, but they moved too quickly for her to pick any of them up. When she stood at the window, looking out at the city, it was then that the words slowed, putting themselves into couplets. The couplets had disappeared on their van ride to the hotel, and she sat now in front of the window as the sun came up, waiting for the poetry to fill her mind again.

At last the pen stopped its aimless circling, and Tori began to write with a purpose, singing softly as lyrics flew out of the pen.

_I believe in fairy tales_

_Where the good guy wins in the end_

_Spreading joy across the kingdom_

_But they say it's all pretend_

_No more princesses_

_No more crowns_

_Seems like we can't look up_

'_Cause we're always looking down_

_No more princes_

_No more thrones_

_Gotta take this story back_

_Gotta make it my own_

_Hey there story-teller_

_Am I you_

_Or are you me?_

_Hey there story-teller_

_We're shaking up the kingdom_

_We'll change it, I believe_

_I believe in true love_

_But it seems to be a lost cause_

_Feels like I'm running on fast-forward_

_And everyone else is on pause_

_No more witches_

_No more spells_

_But will the princess wake?_

_Only time can tell_

_If I am my father's daughter_

_And he is his mother's son_

_Will I have the strength to fight_

_Until the fight is done?_

_Hey there story-teller_

_Am I you_

_Or are you me?_

_Hey there story-teller_

_We'll break this kingdom down_

_We'll save it, I believe_

_No more knights_

_No more glory_

_No more victory_

_Hey, who's telling this story?_

_No more queens_

_No more bishops, rooks, or pawns_

_Time to get up_

_Time to move on_

_I believe in second chances_

'_Cause I've got to get it right_

_Send love to the kingdom_

_Cover them day and night_

_Hey there story-teller_

_Am I you_

_Or are you me?_

_Hey there story-teller_

_We'll raise this kingdom up_

_We'll love it, I believe_

_Yeah, we'll love it, I believe._

There was a quiet knock at the door, and Tori got up, grabbing her lyrics.

Andre was at the door. "You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

Tori shook her head, and stepped out into the hallway. "Just too much on my mind."

"It all went really fast, didn't it?" Andre asked as they walked down the hall towards the elevators. "One minute we're at Sikowitz's birthday party and the next minute we're flying up to the hospital."

"It meant a lot to Jade that we were there," Tori said. "She'll never admit it, but it meant a lot to her."

"What'cha got there?" Andre pointed to the paper in Tori's hand.

"Just something I wrote," she said. "Nothing important."

He took it gently from her. "A song?"

"It just came to me," Tori said, a bit lamely. "While we were at the hospital. I forgot most of it on the way back here and I just sat down and wrote it out."

"It's great," Andre said. "Do you have a melody?"

Tori nodded, and hummed it for him while his eyes kept pace with the lyrics.

"There's a piano down in the restaurant," Andre said. "Let's go down and mess around with this for a bit."

"What about the people dining?" Tori asked as Andre pressed the call button for the elevator.

"It's five-thirty in the morning. Who's going to be dining?"

* * *

When Jade returned to the PICU, it was eight-thirty. She had taken an extremely long walk, ended up at a Tasty Pastry, and drank four cups of coffee while watching a video posted by LittlePrince. Someone had recorded their concert in Dallas, and the video of "Song for A Drowning Girl" was already getting tons of hits on YouTube and Splash Face.

There were even more hits to the Twitter and Facebook sites set up for Evie, and after a while Jade just sobbed as she read the messages. People from places she'd never heard of – New Paltz, Idaho; Bennigan Falls, Missouri; Four Walls, Saskatchewan; Blue, Minnesota – were sending out love and support for a girl they'd never met. Their words were heartfelt, funny, joyful, bittersweet, and lovely. Pictures blurred as Jade scrolled through them: blond twin boys in identical Vest systems with nebulizers strapped to their faces, holding up a sign reading "We Love You Evie." Cheerleaders at a football game wearing "Find Lungs for Evie West" T-shirts. A fraternity posing with juice boxes held high. Workers from the California Organ Donor Registry offices wearing purple (the cystic fibrosis awareness color), all waving enthusiastically. A service dog with a sign pinned to its harness: "Send some prayers to my human friend Evie and her new lungs."

The tributes had words in them Jade had always applied to Evie but which she had never spoken out loud. _Brave. Beautiful. Tenacious. Lucky. Strong. Loved._

In the PICU Annie was slumped in the bedside chair, asleep. Kent stood behind her, staring at Evie's monitors.

"Hi," Jade said quietly as she entered.

"Hi," Kent answered. If he noticed that she had been gone for three hours, he gave no sign.

"How is she?"

Kent took his eyes off the monitors. "They think her seizure was caused by a blood clot that broke free from somewhere and traveled up to the brain. They'll have to do a bunch of scans to make sure there aren't any more clots. If they find any more they'll put her on some sort of clot-busting medicine. At the moment she's in what they call a 'phenobarb coma.' It's a reversible situation. When she starts to recover they'll pull her out of it. They don't want her to rip out her tubes if she has another seizure. They put the EKG monitor on her to watch her brain activity, and she's having ten or twenty little seizures every minute. None of them have been like the first one."

He laughed, a short, hard burst that held no humor. "Strangely enough, for the first time in her life, her lung function is perfect. It's everything else that's working against her."

"What does Dr. Standish think?" Jade asked.

Kent shrugged. "All the doctors have different definitions of 'success.' To Dr. Standish, the operation was a success. Evie has new lungs. Beautiful, healthy lungs. If her lungs were the only measure of progress we'd pronounce her cured right now."

Jade looked down at Evie's pale face, the corners of her sister's mouth jerking up every few seconds. "Dad… during that first big seizure…"

"Hmm?"

"They said she stopped breathing. When she coded. Do they think she might have brain damage or something?"

"At the moment they don't think anything," Kent said. "It's all guesses. Can't get any better information until they can get the seizures under control."

He turned to look at her, as though seeing her for the first time. "How are you, Jadey? Do you want to go home?"

"Dad, I _am_ home."

He gave her a long, _long_ gaze, and then leaned towards her, putting his hands on her shoulders as he kissed her on the top of the head. "Me too, Jadey. Me too."


	74. Chapter 73

**A/N: **Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! I really love reading everything you write and I am so flattered that you think so highly of me and that you enjoy this story so much.

There will be two more chapters in this story, and then I'll start writing and posting the sequel. I'll let you know what it will be called so you can find it. I hope you'll come with me - there's so much more to tell you!

Enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Evie slept, and seized. Medications were adjusted. She underwent brain scans and blood tests and rounds of antibiotics and phenobarbital injections.

"She has significantly lowered brain activity," Dr. Standish reported during an afternoon care conference. The doctor looked as exhausted as everyone in the conference room felt. "But at this point we don't know if that's a leftover from the phenobarb coma or from something else. I feel like we got all of the blood clots, or we'll get them all with the repeated Lovenox shots.

"At this point my goal is to bring her out of the full sedation in about forty-eight hours or so. We're going to have to do a gradual wean, because her body is used to the sedating drugs and all of the painkillers. It may be difficult to watch her come off the drugs – she may actually go through the full physical process of withdrawal. But it will be crucial to get her through this stage, so she can fully wake up… and so we can reassess her brain activity."

Dr. Standish looked down at her notes. "The grand mal seizures have stopped and the only seizure activity we're seeing is petit mal seizures. The good news is that even those are so minor on the EEG that they're occurring as little blips in the background of her brain activity."

She leaned forward to touch Annie's knee. "And the best news is that her respiratory function is amazing. Her new lungs are functioning beautifully."

"She's not breathing on her own," Annie said.

"No," Dr. Standish admitted. "Not at this point. The phenobarb is making sure of that. She can't make any efforts on her own yet. We don't want her making any effort of any kind. A lot of the time patients react poorly when they come out of sedation – pulling out IVs, incurring larger seizures, becoming extremely anxious or even violently angry. The Evie who wakes up is not going to be the Evie that went into surgery. Gradually that Evie will come back to us, but it's going to take many, many hours of weaning the sedation and making sure that she's comfortable and supported while she gets off the drugs."

Annie put her head into her hands. Kent wrapped his arm around her. "We understand," he said.

"You are all doing so beautifully," Dr. Standish said. "I know this must be extraordinarily hard for you, and yet you're making the biggest sacrifices of your life without complaint. Evie is lucky to have family members like you."

She looked over at Jade. "Do you have any questions for me?"

"Is everything cleared for Evie's visitor today?" Jade asked. Her gaze remained on the floor; she stared blankly at the toes of Dr. Standish's black shoes.

"Yes," Dr. Standish said. "Everything is go for a visit between noon and four-thirty. I'll remind the PICU nurses."

She left after a few more words with Kent and Annie.

"Jadey," Kent said, "do you want to go back to the Ronald McDonald House and get some sleep before Evanna gets here?"

"No point," Jade said dully. "I'm not tired."

"How about some breakfast?"

"No."

"Jade, you need to eat. You need to sleep," Annie said.

"I can't! I can't, okay, Mom!" Jade cried. "Every time I close my eyes all I see is Evie… _unconscious_. With those stupid electrodes glued to her head, with that stupid monitor beeping and showing _nothing_. She's not going to wake up, is she? She's not going to get any better and it's all going to end, right here."

Annie leaned forward and grabbed Jade by the shoulders. "Stop. Stop right now. You are exhausted. You are hungry. You are not thinking clearly."

"I can't… I can't go to sleep. It's not… there's nothing… she's just _lying there_."

Annie pulled Jade into a hug and held her tightly. "I know. I know how awful this is, believe me. You think this is the big answer to our prayers that we wanted? I thought by now Evie would at least be awake, sitting up, able to at least tap a yes or no card, maybe eating some ice chips. To know that she's in a coma, in a nether-world void where I can't reach her… that breaks my heart, Jade. To watch her fight whatever demons are inside her head, to watch her through those procedures and tests and painful injections and new medications, when she should be sitting up and enjoying her first breaths with her brand-new lungs."

Annie swallowed, hard. "She's locked inside her head, and the scariest thing for me is not knowing if she'll wake up and be the same Evie. I wonder if I've heard her last spoken words… if I've seen her run and dance her last steps… and it kills me. It feels like there are knives poking into my stomach every single second of every single day. I can't take away Evie's pain – I never could. We never could. We gave her everything we had in order to fight her CF and I promised her that I always would. I promised her that we would go to the ends of the earth to find the cure. I promised her that knowing that there was no cure – knowing that whatever she underwent would be just an experiment. To think of my daughter as a medical experiment… how could I?"

"She's not an experiment," Jade protested.

"You know that, and I know that," Annie said. "But everything standing between Evie and a cure for CF is labeled a medical experiment. And everything else she goes through... breaks my heart, no matter how experimental or non-experimental it is."

She touched Jade's cheek, gently. "Please, go get some sleep for a couple of hours. We'll wake you up before Evanna gets here."

Leaning into her mother's grasp, Jade could feel herself relaxing. Her body was so wound-up, so physically and mentally exhausted, that she couldn't sit up any longer. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep for centuries, to wake up in an era where Evie breathed on her own and no one ever, _ever_ had need for a children's specialty hospital.

"Come on, Jadey," Kent said, and he helped her to her feet.

Back in the Ronald McDonald House room, Kent gently sat Jade on the bed, pulled back the covers, and took off her sneakers. "Sleep, Jadey," he said, and left the room, closing the door behind him with a _click_.

Jade curled up in a ball, her back to the windows, and flicked up The Slap on her phone. Tori's newest song, "This Kingdom," had thousands of views. And Jade loved it.

It was the perfect poetry to fall asleep to.

_Hey there story-teller_

_We'll raise this kingdom up_

_We'll love it, I believe_

_Yeah, we'll love it, I believe._

* * *

"Jade."

Jade looked up. There, at the end of the hallway, was Evanna. Simply clad in jeans and a T-shirt, the blond girl nevertheless looked as though she sparkled, shining in the hospital's fluorescent lighting. "Hi, Evanna."

Evanna embraced Jade. "How is she?"

"She's… she's…" Jade shook her head dismissively.

"Evanna, thanks so much for coming to see us," Annie said, coming up from behind the girls.

Evanna embraced Annie. "I'm so glad to be here," she said.

Jade led Evanna into Evie's PICU room. "Evie," she said, "look who's here to see you!"

Evanna stopped, one hand rising to her face. For a moment she said nothing. Then, as though recovering from a stumble, she quickly said, "Evie. I'm so happy to see you."

"Have a seat," Annie said. "I'm going down to the cafeteria. Can I get either of you anything?"

"I'm fine," Jade said.

"No, thank you," Evanna said.

After Annie left, Evanna looked up at Jade. "Is she…?"

"They call it a phenobarb coma," Jade said gently. "She was sedated after she had some pretty big seizures. They're going to start waking her up in the next couple of days, but it's going to be a long process."

"Can she… hear us?"

"We think so," Jade said. "Sometimes her heart rate goes up when we're in here talking to her. And she definitely loves when we hold her hand."

Evanna smiled, and leaned forward to take Evie's hand.

Sure enough, the heart rate monitor in the corner _bloop_ed as Evie's heart rate went up slightly.

"Hi, Evie," Evanna said. "You look pretty rough, my friend."

She looked down at Evie's wrist. "And look at that – you're still wearing your bracelet."

"She's never been without it," Jade said. "We make sure it goes everywhere with her. It went with her into the operating room when she got her lungs. It goes with her to all of her tests, even if we have to put it in a special pouch or tie it around her ankle."

She gently tugged up Evie's blanket to show Evanna the friendship bracelet looped around Evie's skinny ankle. "Sometimes it rides there."

"I'm so touched," Evanna said softly. "And look at your pretty nails."

"She never used to like having them painted," Jade said, beaming at Evie's fingernails and toenails. "Mom likes it because Evie sits still for the first time in her life."

"Well, they're beautiful. Oh, and I saw all those messages on your Facebook page. Do you think I should put one up?"

"Yeah," Jade said. "In fact, we've got a T-shirt for you. It's… somewhere in here."

"Great," Evanna said.

"Evie, should we play Evanna your songs?" Jade asked.

It could just have been her imagination, but Evie's eyes flickered and one side of her mouth drew up slightly.

"There's two songs that we've been playing over and over again," Jade said. "A band we've never heard of wrote the first one, and my friend – _our_ friend Tori wrote the other."

She pulled her laptop out of the cupboard in Evie's room and set it up on Evie's over-bed table. A few quick clicks brought up the videos, and for the next series of minutes the three girls listened to "Song For a Drowning Girl" and "This Kingdom."

"So beautiful," Evanna said as the songs finished. She brought her free hand up to wipe tears from her eyes. "So beautiful. All these people care for you so deeply, Evie. It's beautiful."

Evie's mouth dropped open a little. A breathy moan emanated from her mouth. Jade leaned in to wipe some drool from Evie's face.

"A lot has happened since I saw you and your family at Universal Studios," Evanna said.

Jade laughed. "You could say that."

She slumped into Evie's other visitor chair. "It's supposed to be over. Evie's supposed to be awake, talking, breathing on her own. She's supposed to be on track to get rid of all those stupid tubes."

She gestured at Evie. "But as you can see, that's not happening."

"Soon," Evanna said.

"That's the hope," Jade said.

Evanna rubbed the back of Evie's hand with her thumb. "You'll be good as new, Evie."

Evie gave another breathy moan as Evanna gently touched the Patronus bracelet. "Did she…?"

"It could be you," Jade said. "Or it could be the air currents in the room… or the moon residing in the fourth house of Jupiter. No one actually knows. And isn't it irritating? I wish I knew if she was in there."

"She responds to you, but there's no way to know if she's responding to you," Evanna said. "I could see how that could be frustrating."

"Sometimes she reacts to videos we play, or if my dad gets really involved in a baseball game on TV. Sometimes it's songs we sing or stories my mom reads to her. No one knows."

"How are your friends?" Evanna asked.

"They've all gone back to LA," Jade said. "Which is to be expected. They had school. Sikowitz and Santiago had to _teach_ school. But Cat calls every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. Beck calls pretty much every night at seven, because that's usually when Mom and Dad are in with the nurses doing rounds or treatments. Tori and Andre call and text, and Robbie's been texting me a lot too. Although, for some reason, right now he's really caught up with a classmate of ours, named Burf, who just starred in a hair product commercial."

"A hair product commercial," Evanna said thoughtfully, nodding. "Men in hair product commercials are pretty heart-stopping."

"Not Burf," Jade said with a laugh. "Burf's stuck in the seventies. At least, his hair is. And for some reason, he eats peppers like they're apples."

Evanna laughed. "Sounds like he's… a special kind of guy."

They chatted and caught up until Annie returned from the cafeteria with a box of cupcakes. "I thought you girls could use a treat," she said. "There's milk in our mini-fridge."

Jade jumped up and pulled up another chair for Annie, moving the laptop from the bed table as she did so. Annie put the box on the table and opened it. "It's a special day today, Evie-kins," she said. "I would have gotten some candles, but they would never let me light them in here. Medical oxygen, you know," she said as an aside to Evanna. "But today is your one-week new lung birthday!"

"Happy new lung birthday," Jade said.

"Happy birthday!" Evanna agreed.

They toasted with the cupcakes in midair, and then peeled the wrappers back and chomped away.

"Try some frosting, my dear," Annie said, and put some of her cupcake's frosting on Evie's lips.

Evie hummed a little, and her eyes jerked back and forth beneath her closed lips. Then her tongue emerged, just a little, and licked the frosting off.

"Good girl!" Annie praised, and she got up to smear more frosting on Evie's lips.

"This is a beautiful hospital," Evanna said when Annie was re-seated. "I'm sure it gets old after a while."

"It becomes like home," Annie said.

"A home we can't wait to leave," Jade said, and rolled her eyes.

There was a knock at the door, and Dr. Standish entered. "Good afternoon," she said. "I'm Carrie Standish."

"Evanna," Evanna said, and smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," Dr. Standish said. "I hear you're one of Evie's biggest fans."

"Yes," Evanna said. "She's… amazing."

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so," Dr. Standish said. "What's… on her mouth?"

Annie blushed. "A little frosting. Would you like a cupcake?"

"And she ate it?"

"Twice," Annie said.

"Happy one-week lung birthday," Jade added.

"Amazing," Dr. Standish said. She gently tugged at Evie's big toe. "You're a fighter, my dear." She looked up at Annie and Jade. "She obviously learned from the best."

She turned to leave, but Evanna jumped up, putting her cupcake down. "Um, doctor, wait, please."

Dr. Standish turned back.

"I… I brought you something to thank you for all you're doing for Evie," Evanna said. She grabbed her bag from the floor and rummaged around, pulling out a small velvet box.

"You didn't have to do this," Dr. Standish protested.

"Sometimes our heroes are never thanked enough," Evanna said, handing the box to the doctor.

Dr. Standish opened it cautiously. Inside, on a black velvet flap, was a silver heart-shaped pendant on a chain. In the middle of the heart, as though holding the heart together, was a purple awareness ribbon, done in brightly-colored enamel. "Oh, my."

"It's not enough," Evanna said.

"Oh, you really didn't have to do this," Dr. Standish said, closing the box a bit reverently and slipping it into the pocket of her white coat. "You are truly a special friend to Evie."

She threw her arms around Evanna and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, sweetheart."

The doctor paused at the door, looking at the bedridden, tube-choked girl with her eyes closed and frosting on her lips. "Happy one-week birthday, Evie," she said, and carefully closed the door.


	75. Chapter 74

**A/N:** Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! You guys are absolutely the best! Thank you for everything you've given me over the past 74 chapters... it's been a real pleasure taking this ride with you!

There's one more chapter to this story, and then we'll move to the sequel together. Enjoy this second-to-last chapter!

* * *

Jade had been holding Evie's hand for what seemed like a year. In reality, though, it had been less than thirty-six hours since the last of Evie's sedation had been stopped. Theoretically, the girl with the shiny new lungs could be waking up any time now, feisty and ready to go.

Jade wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

But she definitely wasn't ready for the opposite – if Evie _never_ woke up.

Evie moaned, and rolled her head back and forth on the pillow.

"Evie, sweetie," Annie said from the corner of the room, "wake up, my darling. Time to wake up, my darling."

Evie's eyes flickered.

"Mom, her eyes!" Jade said.

"I see, Jadey," Annie said. "Good girl, Evie. Come on, baby. Open your eyes a bit."

Evie rolled her head again, this time back towards Jade.

"Evie, I'm here," Jade said. "We're all here. I've got so many pictures to show you. Just wake up a little."

"Hmmm," Evie said.

"Good girl, Evie," Annie said. "We've got more cupcakes for you, if you want."

Evie blinked. Once, twice… and then again.

And then her eyes stayed open.

"Evie," Annie said, scarcely daring to breathe. She got out of her chair and crossed the room to Evie's bed. "Sweetheart, it's Mommy."

Evie blinked.

"Evie," Jade said. "You have new lungs. It's a Tuesday."

Another slow blink.

"Evie, if you understand, can you blink twice?" Annie suggested.

There was no response. Evie just kept blinking, slowly, as though blinking was her only purpose in the world.

"Evie, blink twice," Annie prompted. "Blink twice if you understand us."

She caressed Evie's hair. "Come on, sweetie."

Evie blinked a few more times, and then closed her eyes again.

"It's not unusual," Dr. Standish said when she stopped by on rounds an hour later. "The sedation is very strong. I'm surprised she was awake as she was."

"She didn't seem to respond to us," Annie said. "It was like she didn't even recognize us."

"When she wakes again we'll try taking her off the vent for a breathing trial," Dr. Standish said. "We can start with a few minutes."

But Evie didn't wake up again, at least, not that day.

Or the next.

"We're doing all we can," Dr. Standish said. "I'd like to run another brain scan, just to make sure that the EEG is responding adequately to the lack of sedation."

"And what if it's still flat?" Annie asked.

"We will cross that road when we come to it," Dr. Standish said. "There is nothing in the scans right now that would lead me to believe that her brain activity is flat. We've seen some decreased activity in accordance with the stimulation, but that's just…"

Annie interrupted. "Doctor. If Evie sustained brain damage because of the seizures, you need to let us know, so we can prepare for that."

"Like I said," Dr. Standish said, "there is no reason to think that at this point."

At that, Annie had to go down to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. Jade went with Evie for the brain scan.

"Evie," she whispered, as the electrodes attached to her sister's head transmitted energy to the monitoring equipment, "I know you're in there. Show them you're in there."

"Thanks," the technician said as the scan ended.

Jade walked back to Evie's room, trailing her sister's bed.

"All done," the orderly said. "You're a good friend to her."

"She's my sister," Jade said.

"Then you're a kick-ass sister," the orderly said.

Evie's nurse came in and opened the curtains, changing IV fluids and checking dials on the machinery. "Everything looks great," she said. "You're waking up in there, huh?"

Evie's eyes were open.

"Should we try to sit her up?" Jade asked.

The nurse nodded. "Might be a good idea. Let's give it a shot." She got the bed remote and began slowly raising the head of Evie's bed. "We're going up, sweetheart!"

As Evie rose into a seated position, her eyes started getting wider and wider. There was something of the old Evie spark in her eyes, and she began breathing out quickly. "_Hah. Hah. Hah."_

"Good job, darling," the nurse said. "Let's see… we'll try sitting up for fifteen minutes or so. Wouldn't want you to get too tired."

To Jade, she said, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Jade sat down next to Evie's bed and took her hand again. "Look at you, Evie."

"_Hah. Hah. Hah." _Evie turned her head from side to side, seemingly looking at everything. Her hands flexed up at the wrists, and her fingertips danced in air.

And then she grew silent again.

When Annie returned, she was immediately reduced to tears at the sight of Evie upright. "Oh, my darling," she breathed, and hurried over to kiss Evie on the forehead. "Sitting!"

Dr. Standish knocked on the doorframe, and then entered. "Annie," she said.

Annie turned to look at her.

"Call Kent," the doctor said.

Jade felt as though a stone had dropped into her stomach.

Annie put one hand to her mouth.

"We need to talk," the doctor said.

* * *

Jade couldn't bring herself to go into the conference room. She had seen in Dr. Standish's eyes exactly what she needed to know.

But the words would come back to her, later, repeated on Annie and Kent's tongues as they tried to puzzle out what the doctor's words meant for them, for their daughter, for their family.

_Anoxic brain injury._

_Basically, a clot traveled to her brain and burst. It's impossible to tell whether or not it happened before the seizure, or if the seizure caused it._

_The EEG is showing minimal brain activity. At this point, it means that she has limited cognition, limited movement in her arms and legs, and decreased body control._

_We will do more tests._

_But I suspect that when we try, Evie will be dependent on the ventilator. Not because of a fault in her lungs… but because of a fault in her brain._

_At this point she still has decreased swallow capabilities. She will not be able to eat by mouth._

_I know this is all extremely hard to think about, but I want you to know two things. The first thing is – we will not ever give up trying new therapies, or giving Evie the best therapy out there to help her recover any and all skills she may have. It is possible that with extensive physical and occupational therapy, she will be able to recover movement, body control, maybe even independent breathing, speech and eating by mouth._

_The second thing is – we will give you all the assistance you need to bring Evie home. Modifications for your house, adaptations for school, anything Evie needs to be home with you, in the place she truly belongs – we want to give it to you._

"But you've got kickass lungs," Jade whispered as she kept an eye on Annie and Kent in another meeting with another professional. "And if you've got kickass lungs, anything's possible."

Evie gave a _hmmm_ and turned her head towards the window.

"You know what, Evie?" Jade whispered. "It doesn't matter to me if your brain is damaged like Dr. Standish says. I know it _should_ matter, but… but what really matters to me is that you kicked CF's ass. No more CF."

In truth, she felt like she'd been put in a rock tumbler and given a good series of tumbles. Like she was broken into a thousand pieces, with no hope of ever being put back together. Like she was gravel, grinding endlessly against the walls of the rock tumbler, trying to smash her way out.

But there was no way out.

Evie had kicked CF's ass – but she'd lost so much more. No more walking. No more independent breathing. No more swallowing, or eating, or enjoying birthday cake.

Evelyn West had walked her last step, danced her last song, eaten her last birthday cake, and told her last joke. And unless the medical profession got really, really good at what it was doing, she would not do any of those things again.

But Jade couldn't let those odds get in the way of possibility.

"I love you, Evie," she said, and rested her head on Evie's chest.

Evie gave a distant _hmm_ and, as Jade laid there, closed her mouth a few times, gumming Jade's hair.

It wasn't anything, but Jade wanted to believe it was.

* * *

Two weeks later, Evie West came home from the hospital, hopefully for good.

In that time:

Evie had been fitted for leg braces and a back brace to keep her sitting upright.

A new wheelchair had been fitted, ordered, and delivered. It had support for every part of Evie's body, and straps for her wrists, feet, and around the waist. It reclined, to keep Evie's head back against the headrest, since she had no control over her head. And it was strong enough to carry all of the medical equipment Evie now required – ventilator, suction machine, feeding pump, and portable oxygen tank, plus a backpack full of supplies.

A ramp had been built to get Evie's new wheelchair into the Wests' house.

Two local churches, aided by Sikowitz and the rest of the faculty at Hollywood Arts, had raised enough money to get a new wheelchair-accessible van for the family. It had a fully-automated lift system, and a lowered floor and raised roof, giving Evie's wheelchair plenty of room.

Evie's bedroom had been moved from the second floor to the first floor, in what had previously been the Wests' dining room. Her equipment now took up the space where the china cabinet sat, and the dining room table had been moved to make way for a hospital bed.

But there had been no accommodations for Annie's grief. Or Kent's.

Or Jade's.

It had been heartbreaking to go back to Hollywood Arts and clean out Evie's locker. It was like admitting that Evie would never, ever recover. And while that, so far, was the predominant thought, Jade hated to think about it.

So carefully she took out Evie's textbooks, removing the brightly-decorated paper bag covers and folding them neatly. She found Evie's gym shoes with their bright blue laces. She took down the magnets, the photos, and she gathered up the folders full of schoolwork. She threw out stubby pencils and dead pens, but she kept Evie's art supplies and a program from Parents' Night.

And under all that, when Jade thought she could take no more, she found an envelope with her name on it.

_Jade._

Her breath caught in her chest, as it had been doing a lot lately. Just when she thought she could take no more emotional pain, something else jumped up and grabbed her.

She didn't want to open it, but she knew he had to.

_If you're reading this, I'm dead. Or something else. What else is there besides death and life? I'm not sure I want to know. But I __do__ want you to know that you are my very favorite sister, and I love you beyond compare._

_And also, if I am dead, I want you to know where my will is. It's inside that book of Grimm's Fairy Tales Pap-Pap gave me for my ninth birthday. I know that Mom and Dad are probably broken up, and I don't want to add to their grief by asking them to deal with my requests._

_I love you so much, Jade. Thank you for everything you've done for me. It was a good ride, wasn't it?_

In the middle of the hallway, Jade sank to the floor, sobbing.

She had no idea how much time passed between opening the envelope and when someone's kind, gentle hands helped her up from the floor, walked her to Sikowitz's classroom, and held her tightly.

"It's okay to cry," Beck said.

"We're all here," Cat's voice said.

Jade was too consumed with tears to understand much of what was going on, but she was cognizant enough to know that all of her friends had surrounded her. Tori, Beck, Cat, Robbie, Andre – even Sikowitz and Santiago. And Jade was sure that Rex was somewhere around, too.

"You're so brave," Tori said.

"This is more than you bargained for," Andre added.

"It's more than anyone bargained for," Sikowitz said.

Jade gripped Evie's letter tightly. "The last thing I ever said to her was _see you later_," she whimpered. "My mom told me it was never a good idea to say _goodbye_ before she went into surgery."

"So, it's still true," Cat said. "You're still there for Evie."

"And the last thing she ever said to me was _and you're pretty_," Jade went on tearfully. "She was all doped up on some sort of sedative."

"And you are," Beck said.

Jade looked down at the letter. "She's just a shell," she murmured, unaware of the complex ideas she was trying to express. "She doesn't breathe, she doesn't move, she doesn't walk or swallow or talk – she's just a shell. A shell with perfect lungs," she said with a sarcastic laugh.

Tori put her hand on Jade's.

Jade looked up.

"She's not a shell," Tori said. "She's your sister."

Tori swallowed. "And we know… we all know that you're going to do whatever it takes to bring Evie back. We all are."

"Evie always fought," Cat said simply. "And then when she couldn't fight, we fought for her."

"And she can't fight right now," Robbie went on.

"So we fight for her," Tori said firmly.

"We fight for Evie," Beck agreed.

Amidst the gravel tumbling around in her heart, Jade realized that her friends had it right.

"We… fight… for Evie," she whispered.

Cat grabbed her notebook from her backpack. "I heard a quote in a movie I thought made a lot of sense," she said. "And it wasn't even a cartoon!"

Jade found a smile crossing her face.

"Oh, here it is! 'Everything will be all right in the end. So if it's not all right, it's not the end.'" She smiled at Jade.

Jade looked over at the paper grocery bags filled with the remainder of Evie's high school memories. And she thought of her dark-haired, empty-eyed sister, sitting in front of the bay windows in the West dining room with an empty smile on her face, listening with what might have been joy to the classical music Annie played endlessly.

"It's not the end," Jade murmured, and then a broad smile crossed her face. "It's _not_ the end."

* * *

**Definitely not the end. One more chapter!**


	76. Chapter 75

**A/N: **To all my readers and reviewers, it has been a privilege to take this journey with you. I hope you will stay tuned for the (as yet unnamed) sequel - I have so much more to tell you.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Aelphie! Let's go!"

In her book-crammed bedroom, Aelphie Donovan pushed off her covers. She ran her hands through her blond hair and yawned. "I'm up, Mom!" she hollered.

"Half an hour until we leave!"

Aelphie tucked her hair behind her ears as she got out of bed. She looked over at the _Harry Potter_ calendar on the wall. "First day of school at Hollywood Arts, H," she said, giving Hermione's image a smile.

She still had the acceptance letter tacked up on her bulletin board. "_Dear Miss Donovan, we are pleased to inform you that a spot has opened in the Visual Arts Department at Hollywood Arts High School for the Fall term. Please contact Alicia Santiago at…."_

Aelphie got dressed, yanked her blond hair back into a messy ponytail, and grabbed her camera bag from her desk chair, then headed downstairs for breakfast.

Her brother Eian was sitting at the table in his booster seat eating a Pop-Tart. Her older sister Micah was standing at the stove, poking eggs with a spatula.

"Look at my beautiful lady!" Linda Donovan said, and she gave Aelphie a hug.

"_Mom_," Aelphie protested as she slung herself into her seat.

"What does my beautiful lady want for breakfast? Pancakes? French toast?"

"Same thing I always want, Mom. A bowl of granola with yogurt and blueberries."

"Haven't changed a bit," Linda said.

"Mom, you're going to make her conceited," Micah said, looking over her eggs with scientist seriousness.

Linda smiled. "No one could change our Aelphie that much. I'll get you your granola, sweetheart."

"I want some juice," Eian said.

"And some juice for the young master," Linda said.

While she was at the refrigerator, she said, "Seriously, though, are you nervous?"

"Nervous?" Aelphie tapped her fingers on the tabletop. "Umm…"

"It's okay if you're nervous," Micah said. "I was nervous when I started at Brentwood."

"You were nervous because you couldn't figure out how to wear a kilt," Aelphie said.

"Kilt pins!" Eian sang.

Linda brought over the granola bowl and the juice. "Here you go, my darlings. Aelphie, I'm going out to warm up the van. Eian, I want you to brush your teeth before the carpool gets here."

"Yes, Mommy," Eian said.

Aelphie scarfed down her granola in record time. She and Eian fought over the sink as they brushed their teeth. She ruffled his hair. "Love you, E."

"Love you, A."

"I'll see you this afternoon," Aelphie said. She grabbed her backpack. "Bye, Micah."

"Bye, Aelphie."

Aelphie hopped into the van and waved to Eian, who was sitting in the front window waiting for the carpool. "Mom," she said as Linda backed the van down the driveway, "do you wonder why there was an opening at Hollywood Arts?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've been on their waiting list for like three years," Aelphie said. "Ever since Mr. Johnson recommended me right before eighth grade. And there's an opening _now?_ As I'm going into sophomore year?_"_

"Honey, I always thought it was just a wonderful coincidence." Linda slowed, signaled, turned. "I try not to look at things with a negative light. You know that."

Aelphie smiled out the window. "Yeah."

"For instance, if I did…" Linda said.

"_Mom_," Aelphie said, and rolled her eyes.

But Linda was smiling. "I know. I've got to get better stories."

A few minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of Hollywood Arts. Aelphie surveyed the lunch area, indicated by a grouping of tables, and the building beyond. "Mom," she said.

"What?"

"I don't think I can do this," Aelphie said.

Linda parked and leaned over to open the glove box. "Do I have to show you the picture?"

"No…"

"I'll show it to you anyway," Linda said. "This picture you took of Eian and Uncle Rudy right before he passed away… it breaks my heart every time I see it. You are an artist, Aelphie. And you deserve to be in a school where that talent is nurtured. No offense to your previous educational institutions, but they were teaching you a lot of things anyone could teach you. These folks here, they can teach you things beyond that. They can help you be more of an artist."

Aelphie touched the black-and-white photograph gently. She had seen it hundreds of times before… she had _taken_ it, for crying out loud. But it still did something to her, too.

"You are my artist," Linda said. "Micah is my socialite. Eian is my mathematician. And your father… well, he's my Prince Charming."

Aelphie rolled her eyes.

"I know," Linda said. "Someday when you're old you'll remember me as the mom who told the same stories and loved you just the same every time."

She looked out at the students gathered around the tables. "You belong here, Aelphie."

"Thanks, Mom," Aelphie whispered.

"Now grab that camera of yours and get out of my van," Linda said. "After all, your father and I spent Eian's college fund on it…"

Aelphie laughed; it was a family joke and entirely untrue. "Okay, okay, I'm going."

Linda got out of the van to open the side door, revealing Aelphie's black-and-lavender manual wheelchair. She lifted it out of the van and brought it around to the passenger-side door. "Give me your backpack," she said, and Aelphie handed over her backpack and her camera bag. "Now get your butt in this chair. School time. And I've got to get back to the store before Reginald ruins everything."

Aelphie swung herself out of her mother's van and into her chair. "Bye, Mom."

"Wait! Shoes!" Linda said. She reached into the backseat of the van and grabbed Aelphie's tennis shoes.

"Mom," Aelphie said, "I don't have feet. When are you going to stop making me wear shoes?"

Linda Donovan looked down proudly at her daughter, who had been born without legs. The nimble girl's body ended somewhere after her hips, but truncated in a pair of insubstantial, two-toed "feet." "Until you stop wearing holes in the bottoms of your shorts," she replied. "Your father and I are not made of money."

"No, because you spent it all on my camera," Aelphie said, and Linda laughed.

"My devil," she said. "Give me a kiss and then get out of my hair."

Aelphie laughed and obligingly reached up to give her mother a kiss. "Love you, Mom."

"Love you, Aelphie. Defy gravity, my sweet."

Aelphie watched as her mother pulled out of the parking lot. Then she squared her shoulders and grabbed the push-rims of her chair. _Day Number One,_ she thought. _Here goes nothing_.

* * *

"Okay, Evie, here comes the nasty part," Jade said. "I promise after this I'm all done messing with you and I'll leave for school."

Her sister didn't respond, but Jade wasn't offended. Evie hadn't spoken since she'd come home from the hospital more than three months ago. A brain injury had stopped all that.

"Ready?" Jade asked. She had one gloved hand on the on-off switch of her sister's suction machine and the other hand on Evie's ventilator circuit. "One… two…"

She tried not to flinch as she pulled off the ventilator circuit. The ventilator's alarms started going off. Evie choked.

Jade nimbly dropped the suction catheter into Evie's tracheostomy tube and began twirling it around, bringing up mucus that Evie couldn't clear herself. The suction machine stuttered and choked as phlegm filtered out into the collection bottle. "Okay, and… three," Jade said, and replaced Evie's vent tubing.

The ventilator faltered for a moment as it registered that Evie was reconnected. Evie herself gasped a little, and then her face smoothed.

"Good girl," Jade said. She turned off the suction machine, yanked off the used suction catheter, replaced it, and then peeled her gloves off. "All done."

Evie was upright in her hospital bed, still wearing the light yellow pajamas she'd slept in. Her shoulder-length brown hair was cut bluntly and somewhat stylishly; at the moment it was pinned back on the sides with a pair of yellow bow-shaped barrettes. If not for the enormous amount of medical equipment surrounding her, she could have been any young woman in any hospital bed in any other private residence in the country.

"But you're mine," Jade said. "Okay. Don't be too hard on Mom today. I'll see you after school."

Since suffering an anoxic brain injury following a double-lung transplant, Evie had been dependent on machines to breathe for her and feed her, to pull mucus from her trach tube and to suction out her saliva. She could not breathe, swallow, chew, move independently, stand, eat, or walk.

"But she no longer has CF," Jade murmured, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her backpack from the doorway to Evie's room. "Mom, she's done with treatments! I'm leaving!"

Annie West appeared in the door separating the kitchen and the living room. "Okay, sweetheart. Thank you. You don't have to do her treatments every morning."

Jade crossed the room to kiss her mother. "Yes, I do."

"See you after school," Annie said, returning the kiss.

Jade opened the front door and looked appraisingly at the car parked in the driveway behind the Wests' oversized handicap-accessible van. "Right on time," she said to Tori as she crossed the sidewalk and opened the passenger-side door.

"I pride myself on my promptness," Tori said.

"Hi, Jade!" Cat sang from the backseat.

"Hi, Cat."

"First day of school!"

"Yippee," Jade said, and twirled her fingers in the air in a manner suggesting sarcastic festivity.

"What classes are you taking?" Tori asked as she pulled out of the driveway.

"Well, Improv 3 with Sikowitz," Jade said. "And Math. And Ballet. And…"

"I'm taking Cooking!" Cat squealed.

"Cooking?" Jade looked in the rearview mirror at her redheaded friend. "Is that safe?"

"She has a partner," Tori said. "Robbie."

"Is _that_ safe?"

All too soon they were in the parking lot at Hollywood Arts. Jade helped Cat out from the backseat. The redhead saw some of her friends and bobbed off, squealing with glee.

"Is it hard?" Tori asked, when it was just her and Jade standing by the cars.

"Being here without Evie?" Jade hadn't even considered that. "Hell, yeah. I mean, everywhere I look, I see…"

Her eyes skipped over the Asphalt Café. "She used to like to sit at that table, because it was out of the sun but it was close to the double doors that lead back into the Visual Arts hallway," she said, pointing. "And she never, _ever_ ate anything out of the Grub Truck, which I guess proves she was smarter than the rest of us."

"Is she… is she going to school?" Tori asked, oddly unsure of how to phrase the question.

"No," Jade said. "There's just tutors and therapists coming to the house. Which is easier on my mom, at least for now. I mean, at some point they'll have to either send her back to _a_ school or tutor her full-time, but we're not there yet."

"She's lucky to have you," Tori said, and was sure that she would have said more.

The bell interrupted them.

"We're all lucky, one way or another," Jade said, and lifted her bag to her shoulder. "See you in Improv."

"Until we meet again," Tori said.

Jade was the majority of the way to her math class, minding her own business, when she saw a crowd of people in front of Evie's old locker. _It's stupid. It's not her locker anymore_, she thought.

The crowd thinned as the warning bell rang, and suddenly there was just one person in front of the locker.

For a moment her heart clanged in her chest. _Evie!_

And there were some similarities – a wheelchair, for example. And a backpack slung haphazardly over the back.

But as Jade took in the rest of the picture, she confirmed what she already knew. Her Evie, the Evie she imagined, was no longer at Hollywood Arts. Indeed, the person sitting before her in a wheelchair was smaller, blond, and the backpack was a mishmash of Harry Potter pins and brightly colored hand-drawn birds, not the classic black Evie favored.

The blond girl reached up and slammed Evie's locker –_ her locker_ – and the wheelchair spun towards Jade, nearly hitting her in the knees. "Oh, I'm sorry!" the girl apologized. "My mom says I have a habit of twirling wherever. Didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'm… I'm all right," Jade said.

"Are you sure?" the blond girl asked. "You look a little seasick."

Jade wasn't sure what she was feeling. She stared at the girl, who seemed to be a pocket-sized person. It took her a minute to realize that the girl had no legs.

"Is it your first day too?"

"No," Jade said, and she could feel herself start to clench in. Her chest hurt. "No, it's not my first day."

"Oh," the girl said. "Sorry."

She grabbed her wheelchair's push-rims and was about to roll away when Jade gripped her shoulder. "Can I help you?" She didn't sound so pleasant anymore.

"Take care of that locker," Jade said. "A really great girl had it before you."

"Yeah?" The blond girl didn't look convinced.

"Yeah," Jade said. "She was really awesome."

"If you say so," the girl said, and spun away.

"Wait!" Jade said, feeling useless.

The girl turned back towards her. "Can I help you? I'm going to be late for Photography, so if this is one of those you-don't-have-legs talks, could we have it later?"

"Um, no," Jade said, her head spinning. The girl was in Photography? _Evie_ had been in Photography. But Evie was gone. So there was a space. This girl was the new Evie?

"'Cause I am _so_ well aware that I don't have legs," the girl went on. "Sixteen years kinda puts that one in your head."

"No," Jade repeated. "I just… Welcome to Hollywood Arts. I'm Jade."

She stuck out her hand, and was surprised when the blond girl rolled forward and shook it. "I'm Aelphie."

"Aelphie," Jade said, aware that she sounded like a broken record. "Aelphie."

"It's not short for Elphaba," the girl said quickly. "You know, from _Wicked?_ It's actually Aelphina, after my father's great-aunt. Sorta weird. But my mom covers for me and tells people it's from _Wicked_. It wasn't her name choice."

She looked up at Jade. "You still look seasick."

"It's just… my sister used to have that locker," Jade said, and it was as though the words had set her free. "My sister used to have that locker. And she's not coming back to school here, because she has a brain injury."

"Oh," Aelphie said.

"And… I guess I just got sentimental."

Aelphie considered this. "It seems like the kind of thing to get sentimental over," she said at last. "In fact, it seems completely normal."

The final bell rang, and Jade at last pulled her gaze away from Evie's locker. "Well, I have to get to math," she said, and started to walk away.

"Jade," Aelphie said.

Jade turned back towards her.

"Would you… would you like to have lunch some time? You could… tell me about your sister. What made her special. I have to decorate this locker, apparently. Maybe I could use some inspiration from its previous tenant."

And though Jade thought she would rather pull her fingernails off with barbecue tongs than eat lunch with the girl who had taken Evie's place at Hollywood Arts, she forced a smile. "I'd like that," she said.

Aelphie rolled away.

"Aelphie?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe… while we're at it… you could tell me where your legs went," Jade said, and offered what she hoped was a sarcastic, funny smile.

"Yeah," Aelphie said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Maybe I could."

And she rolled away into the crowd of students rushing to class, until she faded from sight.

Until she could have been anyone.


End file.
